The Brain Matters Podcast

Primary brain cancer affects almost 2000 Australians every year and is sadly incurable. In this episode we’ll hear about how neuroscience might improve outcomes for people with brain cancer. Our guests are Professor Lucy Palmer, head of The Florey’s Neural Network Group. Lucy’s team works with live brain tissue samples donated by generous cancer patients, to better understand the relationship between tumours and the brain. We’ll also hear from Professor Kate Drummond,...

We live in a world of plastic. Millions upon millions of tons are produced every year, meaning plastics are all around us - and it turns out – within us too. Around 16,000 chemicals are believed to involved in plastics in some form, and many of these chemicals make their way into our bodies. How do these human-made substances affect the brain? In this episode, we’ll hear about ways plastics are disrupting biological processes connected to brain function and development. &n...

Motor neurone disease was first described in the 1800s, but it’s only in the last two decades that researchers have been able to make serious inroads into understanding this fatal neurodegenerative disease. Treatments remain very limited for patients and a cure is still some way off – but why is MND so challenging for patients, for their doctors and for researchers? Is there hope on the horizon? In this episode, we tackle just that. Joining us is neurologist and Florey researcher, Dr Th...

Amber Starlight’s life as a teen was dictated by her seizures, sometimes happening several times a day. Her doctor knew something had to be done to gain seizure control – but with so many treatment routes to go down, it could be a long and challenging road ahead. Luckily for Amber, it was an unusual cause of her seizures that proved to be the key: brushing her teeth. The latest technology in imaging, particularly in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), allows us to see ...

Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition in the world affecting 50 million people. But the myriad of seizures types, seizure severity, clinical history, genetics and responses to medication can make it increasingly difficult to fully diagnose and treat. Add to this the variability in healthcare systems and infrastructure, the ‘postcode lottery’ of services available – particularly in rural and regional areas – and it’s no wonder that seizure control can feel out of reach for m...

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a highly complex condition to diagnose, treat and live with. Affecting 1 in 1000 people, and with symptoms usually presenting in people between the age of 20 and 40, the impact of MS can vary person to person. Any part of the central nervous system can be impacted - from vision, to sensory perception and sometimes cognition. In this episode, we dive into the complexities of this disease with perspectives from leading MS clinician and researcher Prof...

An estimated 400 million people have an alcohol use disorder globally, with millions more experiencing problems with drugs and gambling. But, despite its magnitude, addiction is one of the most misunderstood health conditions. How does the human brain become addicted? Why are addictions so difficult to treat? And what does the future look like for people experiencing these neuropsychological problems? Together with The Florey’s Professor Andy Lawrence, Turning Point’s Professor Dan Lubm...

Globally, someone is diagnosed with dementia every 3 seconds. It’s a scary prospect for many of us as we age. But with blood tests for diagnosing dementia and promising medications on the horizon, does the future look brighter for this disease? Annemarie's husband John started showing signs of dementia at just 58. She talks us through their journey of receiving an Alzheimer's diagnosis, and what it's like to live with this disease. Nawaf Yassi, a neurologist at the Royal Melbourne Hos...