In this episode of One Voice for Neurology, we explore how personalised and precision approaches in neurology can improve care for everyone by recognising individual differences in brain health, including gender, sleep, and hormonal factors.

Our guests — Dr Antonella Santuccione Chadha, medical doctor, neuroscientist, and founder of the Women’s Brain Foundation, and Dr Thomas Penzel, President of the World Sleep Society — discuss the latest research on gender differences in neurological conditions, the role of sleep and hormonal influences in prevention, and how holistic, individualised care can enhance outcomes for patients, clinicians, and health systems worldwide.

We also hear from Chéri Ballinger, a Women’s Brain Foundation ambassador and traumatic brain injury survivor, who shares a personal account of how a gender-informed, individualised approach transformed her care.

Topics covered include:

• How sex and gender impact neurological disease prevalence, symptoms, and treatment response
• The role of sleep and hormonal factors in supporting brain health and preventing disease
• Advances in technology and AI supporting personalised approaches to neurology
• The importance of investing in research, sharing data, and promoting female leadership to drive equitable, patient-centred neurological care
• Real-world implications of holistic and precision neurology for patients and healthcare systems

Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, patient, or advocate, this episode highlights how understanding differences in brain health can lead to better, more equitable care for everyone.

Stroke and other neurological conditions are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide—but solutions exist. In this episode of One Voice for Neurology, Sam Pauly explores the global neurology agenda just days before the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs, with five years left to meet the SDG 3.4 target of reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases.

Hear from:

• Mia Grupper (Executive Director) and Prof. Jeyaraj Pandian (President) of the World Stroke Organization on the global burden of stroke, advocacy at the UN, and initiatives like the Global Stroke Action Coalition.
• Dr Lucy Sykes and colleagues from Ghana and The Gambia on real-world partnerships improving stroke care in resource-limited settings.
• Dr Matilde Leonardi on neurorehabilitation, its impact, and access challenges in global neurological care.

From high-level policy to practical solutions on the ground, this episode shows how collaboration, advocacy, and rehabilitation can make a tangible difference for people affected by neurological disorders.

Released on World Brain Day

In this episode of the One Voice for Neurology podcast, we explore the lasting and often invisible impact of neurological disorders on individuals, families, and carers.

We begin with a focus on encephalitis, featuring Dr Ava Easton from Encephalitis International. She discusses the causes, long-term effects, and the importance of the new WHO Technical Brief on encephalitis—developed in partnership with the organisation—and how that aligns with the goals of the WHO’s Intersectoral Global Action Plan (IGAP) on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders, particularly around improving diagnosis, care pathways, and support systems.

We also hear from Subha, a young woman living with encephalitis, who shares a moving personal audio diary about her journey and the reality of adapting to a new normal.

Later in the episode, we turn to palliative care. Tracey, a carer for her husband Nick, reflects on their experience and how early palliative care helped them navigate uncertainty and improve the quality of life for them both.

To close, Professor Dr David Oliver from the OneNeurology Palliative Care Working Group explains how palliative care can be better integrated across neurological care—taking a holistic and multidisciplinary approach—and why it’s vital at all stages, not just at the end of life.

Together, these voices show the progress being made through better research, partnerships, and advocacy—and the ongoing need for greater awareness, education, and more person-centred support, all of which underline the profound and enduring impact of neurological disorders.

In this episode, host Sam Pauly explores the role of education, health literacy, and stigma in shaping experiences of neurological conditions. Genein Letford discusses how early education can support brain development and why the arts can be an effective tool for fostering understanding of neurological health.

Abraham Ntshalintshali and Mary Secco join a roundtable discussion on epilepsy-related stigma, sharing insights from community-level initiatives, including work in Eswatini to train police officers and improve legal outcomes for people with epilepsy. They also reflect on how stigma manifests in different cultural contexts and the need to involve people with lived experience in advocacy and policy.

The episode also features two personal accounts: Ameena Aimen shares her experience of navigating diagnosis and stigma as a medical student in Pakistan, while Laura Molinari reflects on how health literacy helped her manage life with MS at work and in daily life. Finally, Abdelfatah Ibrahim from the MS International Federation explains why improving health literacy is essential to achieving better outcomes and more equitable care for people with neurological conditions.

In this episode, host Sam Pauly explores the healthcare challenges faced by displaced people, particularly those with neurological disorders. Sebastian Einseidel from the UN OCHA discusses global displacement in regions like Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. Yulia Ostapenko shares her experience being displaced from Ukraine, highlighting the human side of these crises. Dr. Bindu Menon offers insights from India on the impact of environmental disasters on neurological care. The episode emphasizes the urgent need for long-term solutions, global coordination, and community resilience in addressing the healthcare needs of displaced populations.

In this episode Sam Pauly meets 4 neurologists to discuss the challenges faced in India across the life course. We’ll examine the role that Brain Health can play in India; how it can be promoted and its role in prevention of and protection from neurological disorders. We’ll learn more on what it’s like to live with a neurological disorder in India as a child and also as an elderly person and we’ll hear more from the WHO on the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders which was adopted in 2022.

With a focus primarily on Sub-Saharan Africa in this episode we explore the challenges currently faced across the continent in accessing neurological care. We’re joined by neurologists from the region as well as hearing from the WHO on the range of issues and barriers to care, from the low number of neurologists to the problem of stigma and discrimination. Our guests will be discussing how these challenges can be addressed through education, a holistic approach and understanding of the region and its population. We’ll also be hearing first-hand what it’s like to live with a neurological disorder in Africa.

How can the WHO Global Action Plan be implemented at regional and national levels around the world?

In this episode Sam Pauly and her guests try to answer this question by case studying the region of Europe and discussing how nations can address disparities and inequalities as well as achieve success through collaboration and with EU initiatives like Healthier Together.