Mds Podcast

Prof. Mark Edwards, the awardee for the 2025 Stanley Fahn Lecture Award, discusses his work and interest in the neurology-psychiatry continuum as it relates to the care of patients with chronic neurological diseases, including functional neurological disorders.

Dr. Jon Stoessl looks back on his distinguished career in neuroimaging, highlighting the discoveries that have advanced our understanding of Parkinson’s disease and related conditions. In this conversation, he reflects on the evolution of imaging technologies, the challenges of interpreting complex data, and the lessons learned throughout his journey. His recognition with the David Marsden Lecture Award underscores the lasting impact of his contributions to the field.

In this episode, we dive into the world of epilepsy dyskinesia syndrome (EDS) with our guest, Dr. Darius Ebrahimi-Fakhari. Listen as he unpacks the findings from one of the largest multinational studies to date, involving over 600 patients across 25 countries. Read the article.

In the third and final episode of the normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) Hot Topic series, Dr. Sara Schaefer speaks with Dr. Joachim Krauss about the assessment of patients with NPH for neurosurgical intervention, outcomes data, and his vision for the future of NPH research and clinical care.

In this second episode of the Hot Topic series on normal pressure hydrocephalus, Dr. Sara Schaefer discusses with Dr. Alfonso Fasano the pathophysiological theories behind NPH, co-pathology in this population, and controversies surrounding the disease.

In this first episode of the Hot Topic series on normal pressure hydrocephalus, Dr. Sara Schaefer discusses with Dr. Mats Tullberg the symptoms of NPH, examination techniques and pearls, imaging findings, and the differential diagnosis.

In this episode, host Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Dr. Nicolaas Bohnen about his team’s recent study using FEOBV PET to investigate cholinergic deficits in Parkinson’s disease patients with dopa-unresponsive freezing of gait (FOG). The results reveal a distinct pattern of cortical cholinergic denervation that may underlie this challenging and poorly treatable symptom. Dr. Bohnen discusses the implications for subtyping FOG, the role of cholinergic systems in higher-order motor control, and the potential for cholinergic-targeted therapies. Read the article.

Dr. Mitra Afshari interviews Drs. Patricia Krause and Andrea Kühn on the results of a 10-year prospective follow-up study of a multicenter trial of GPI-DBS in isolated generalized and segmental dystonia. Together they discuss motor, non-motor, and safety outcomes, as well as the strong and stable long-term improvements in dystonia from pallidal DBS. Further, they provide their expert insights on the common themes with respect to treatment failure and the critical need for a personalized approach.

Could gene therapy with neurotrophic factors help restore dopaminergic terminals in Parkinson’s disease? Dr. Michele Matarazzo speaks with Dr. Amber Van Laar about her team’s Phase 1b trial of AAV2–GDNF gene therapy delivered directly to the putamen. They discuss the preclinical evidence for GDNF, how advanced delivery techniques and higher putamen coverage may overcome past challenges, and the encouraging early results in moderate Parkinson’s. The conversation also explores lessons from previous trials, safety outcomes, and the path forward. Read the article.

Nicole Duff and Dr. Amanda Currie discuss the potential role of the social worker in deep brain stimulation (DBS) and the work of Dr. Currie’s team in creating a simple pneumonic that could be used to determine whether a social worker's involvement would be beneficial to DBS patients. They also discuss the clinical implications of this study as well as possible future directions to further outline the role of the social worker in DBS. Read the article.

Mutations in LRRK2 are a common cause of familial and sporadic Parkinson’s. Though clinical features resemble typical PD, about half of cases lack Lewy pathology. Doctors Hiroaki Sekiya and Nanna Møller Jensen discuss their recent studies on the neuropathology of LRRK2-PD patients. They dive into their methods and how proximity ligation assays may compare to alpha-synuclein seeding assays in identification of alpha-synuclein oligomers. Together they explain their surprising results on how alpha-synuclein oligomers may be a key early feature in LRRK2-PD. Read the first article. Read the second article.

Dr. Hugo Morales interviews Drs. Malco Rossi and Lucas Alessandro about their work on an AI-powered virtual assistant designed to aid in the diagnosis of chronic ataxias. They discuss how the assistant performed when put to the test, evaluating its diagnostic accuracy head-to-head against movement disorder experts. Journal CME is available until May 21, 2026 Read the article.

Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Prof. Sabine Fuchs on the potential of prime editing as a future therapy for cortical myoclonus. This exciting new development holds promise for the treatment of rare genetic disorders such as GOSR2. In the interview, Prof. Fuchs provides valuable insights into the science and potential applications of this groundbreaking technique.

In this episode, Prof. Tiago Outeiro interviews Prof. William Langston on the intriguing history of drug addicts manifesting parkinsonism in the 1980s, and how MPTP became a tool compound for modeling certain aspects of Parkinson's disease.

Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Prof. Kathryn Peall about her expertise on a topic that lies at the heart of her work: Myoclonus dystonia. We’ll hear her insights on both the motor and non-motor challenges faced by patients, and how deep brain stimulation is reshaping treatment possibilities.

In this episode, we explore the role of genetics and genetic testing in the decision-making and outcome of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease with two experts in the field: Dr. David Arkadir and Dr. Saar Anis. This interview is also available in the text format within the MDS Scientific Issues: Read the issue

In this episode, Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Prof. Mark Edwards. Together they delve into both the clinical and electrophysiological aspects of propriospinal myoclonus, and explore the distinguishing features and current treatment options for functional movement disorders.

Dr. Sarah Camargos talks with Prof. Laura Bannach Jardim about how rural living might influence the age at onset of Machado-Joseph disease. Read the article.

Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Dr. Christos Ganos on the differential diagnosis of myoclonus. Dr. Ganos explains how he distinguishes between jerky movements based on clinical history and examination, and discusses the differential diagnosis across various parts of the body.

Dr. Hugo Morales Briceno interviews Prof. David Devos from the University of Lille, France, about the results of the phase 1/2 clinical trial using intracerebroventricular anaerobic dopamine in Parkinson’s disease with L-dopa-related complications. Read the article.