All episodes

Ep. 198: The Complex Interaction between (Social) Media and Functional Neurological Disorders

Ep. 198: The Complex Interaction between (Social) Media and Functional Neurological Disorders

29m 1s

Moderator: Kirsten R. Müller-Vahl (Hanover, Germany)

Guest: Natalia Szejko (Warsaw, Poland) and Anna Dunalska (Warsaw, Poland)

In this episode, Kirsten R. Müller-Vahl speaks with Natalia Szejko and Anna Dunalska about functional neurological disorders and the influence of social media. They discuss common clinical presentations, challenges in diagnosis based on positive signs, and the impact of online information on symptom expression, patient expectations, and clinical management, with implications for contemporary neurological practice.

Ep. 197: Functional Neurological Symptoms Co-existing with Movement Disorders: Clinical Challenges and Opportunities

Ep. 197: Functional Neurological Symptoms Co-existing with Movement Disorders: Clinical Challenges and Opportunities

38m 24s

Moderator: Selma Aybek (Fribourg, Switzerland)

Guests: Gabriela Gilmour (Calgary, Canada) and Katarzyna Śmiłowska (Sosnowiec, Poland)

In this episode, Selma Aybek speaks with Gabriela Gilmour and Katarzyna Śmiłowska about the overlap between functional neurological disorders and movement disorders. They discuss key diagnostic principles based on positive clinical signs, mechanisms underlying co-occurrence, and practical challenges in distinguishing functional symptoms from conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, with implications for accurate diagnosis and management in neurological practice.

Ep. 196: Is Biological Sex Important for the Development of Functional Neurological Disorders (FND)?

Ep. 196: Is Biological Sex Important for the Development of Functional Neurological Disorders (FND)?

33m 53s

Moderator: Primavera Spagnolo (Boston, MA)

Guest: Natalia Szejko (Warsaw, Poland) and Anna Dunalska (Warsaw, Poland)

In this episode, Primavera Spagnolo speaks with Natalia Szejko and Anna Dunalska about functional neurological disorders, focusing on the influence of biological sex and gender on their development and clinical presentation. They discuss diagnostic features, epidemiology and female predominance, neurobiological and sociocultural factors, sex-related differences in presentation and comorbidities, and implications for sex- and gender-informed diagnosis and multidisciplinary care in neurological practice.

Ep. 195: Functional Neurological Disorder Across Europe: Bridging Gaps in Neurology Training and Clinical Practice

Ep. 195: Functional Neurological Disorder Across Europe: Bridging Gaps in Neurology Training and Clinical Practice

27m 43s

Moderator: Veronica Cabreira (Porto, Portugal)
Guest: Mark Edwards (London, UK) and Jon Stone (Edinburgh, UK)

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) remains one of the most common yet least adequately taught conditions in neurology training across Europe. In this episode, moderator Veronica Cabreira and expert guests Jon Stone and Mark Edwards reflect on historical and contemporary factors that contribute to major gaps in education and training on FND across Europe. They argue that FND should be the “business” of Neurologists and provide their insights into advocating for better clinical pathways and specialist services, integrating evidence-based FND teaching, and aligning health policy for...

Ep. 194: Autism in children and adults: different or the same?

Ep. 194: Autism in children and adults: different or the same?

48m 36s

Moderator: Taras Voloshyn (Kyiv, Ukraine)
Guests: Laavanya Damodaran (Birmingham, UK), Osman Malik (London, UK)

In this episode, Taras Voloshyn speaks with Laavanya Damodaran and Osman Malik about autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan, with particular focus on the transition from childhood to adulthood. They discuss core diagnostic features, early clinical signs, evolving presentations in adult patients, and the challenges of recognition, comorbidities, and long-term multidisciplinary support in neurological and psychiatric practice.

Ep. 193: Understanding GBS and other inflammatory neuropathies across ages

Ep. 193: Understanding GBS and other inflammatory neuropathies across ages

28m 21s

Moderator: Francesco Germano (Genoa, Italy)
Guest: Matteo Cataldi (Genoa, Italy)

In this episode, Francesco Germano speaks with Matteo Cataldi about Guillain-Barré syndrome and other inflammatory neuropathies across the lifespan. They discuss key age-related differences in epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies in pediatric and adult patients, highlighting practical considerations for early recognition, risk assessment, and treatment in neurological practice.

Ep. 192: Movement disorders in children and adults: different or the same?

Ep. 192: Movement disorders in children and adults: different or the same?

36m 17s

Moderator: Natalia Szejko (Warsaw, Poland)
Guests: Tammy Hedderly (London, UK), Alexander Münchau (Lübeck, Germany)

In this episode, Natalia Szejko speaks with Tammy Hedderly and Alexander Münchau about the similarities and differences in movement disorders across the lifespan. They discuss the clinical evolution of tics and stereotypies from childhood to adulthood, the distinct diagnostic implications of dystonia and parkinsonism in pediatric versus adult populations, and the importance of multidisciplinary care and acceptance-based strategies in neurological practice.

Ep. 191: FND in children and adults: different or the same?

Ep. 191: FND in children and adults: different or the same?

39m 6s

Moderator: Meagan Watson (Denver, USA)
Guests: Pavlina Danhofer (Brno, Czech Republic), Natalia Szejko (Warsaw, Poland)

In this episode, Meagan Watson speaks with Pavlína Danhofer and Natalia Szejko about whether functional neurological disorders (FNDs) present differently in children and adults. They discuss age-specific clinical features, comorbidities, developmental and family context, diagnostic challenges, and the role of early, tailored multidisciplinary management to improve outcomes in neurological practice.

Ep. 190: Parkinson’s disease – more than a movement disorder

Ep. 190: Parkinson’s disease – more than a movement disorder

20m 29s

In this episode, Yıldız Değirmenci speaks with Julie Hall and Marit Ruitenberg about non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, focusing on anxiety and cognitive impairment. They examine their clinical profiles, early detection challenges including neuropsychological markers, interactions with motor manifestations, and implications for comprehensive assessment and individualized management in neurological practice.

Ep. 189: Red flags of treatable (spino)cerebellar ataxias

Ep. 189: Red flags of treatable (spino)cerebellar ataxias

45m 50s

Moderator: João Durães (Coimbra, Portugal)
Guests: Paola Giunti (London, UK), Lidia Sarro (Milan, Italy)

In this episode, João Durães, Paola Giunti and Lidia Sarro provide a rigorous examination of the diagnostic and therapeutic landscape of treatable ataxias, focusing on rare variants. The discussion first delineates autoimmune etiologies, such as anti-GAD, paraneoplastic, and gluten-related syndromes, before transitioning to a detailed review of acquired and genetic metabolic disorders, including vitamin deficiencies, NPC, Refsum disease, Glut1 deficiency, CTX, and Wilson’s disease among others. By highlighting critical clinical and paraclinical "red flags," the contributors offer a framework for accelerating differential diagnosis. The session concludes...