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The Encephalitis Podcast is brought to you by Encephalitis International and covers everything to do surrounding inflammation of the brain. Interviews with neurologists, psychiatrists, survivors and in-depth looks at different aspects of encephalitis. For more information about encephalitis, visit www.encephalitis.info
Episodes

Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Thursday Feb 06, 2025
We are delighted to welcome Bethany Facer and Dr Brendan Sargent to The Encephalitis Podcast. Beth and Brendan talk to host Prav Prathapan about recent research on the neurological effects of Covid-19, including cognitive deficits and long-term effects, and the potential implications for other diseases.
Beth and Brendan also discussed the Covid-19 Clinical Neuroscience Study – a £2.3 million research study looking at the acute neurological and neuropsychiatric complications of Covid-19. This podcast also discusses the future of the Covid-19 Clinical Neuroscience Study, the potential of its data to contribute to understanding cognitive disturbances, and the importance of individualised care and support for those affected by the neurological effects of COVID-19. Links to papers: Posthospitalization COVID-19 cognitive deficits at 1 year are global and associated with elevated brain injury markers and gray matter volume reduction | Nature Medicine Cognitive domains affected post‐COVID‐19; a systematic review and meta‐analysis - Fanshawe - 2025 - European Journal of Neurology - Wiley Online Library
Bethany Facer is a neuroimaging PhD student at the University of Liverpool, focusing on people with newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease. Bethany is part of the neuroimaging working group for the COVID-Clinical Neuroscience Study and has previously worked on the DexEnceph trial assessing imaging changes in HSV encephalitis. An avid science communicator, she has presented at the Cheltenham Science Festival and has hosted and organised the annual Liverpool Neuroscience Conference.
Brendan Sargent is a junior doctor and clinical research fellow with the Autoimmune Psychosis Group at the University of Oxford. He is part of the neuroimaging working group for the COVID-Clinical Neuroscience Study consortium and has worked with the Infection Neuroscience Lab in Liverpool on the cognitive impacts of COVID-19 illness. He is interested in cognition, neuroimaging and neuroinflammation. For more information about the COVID-CNS study, visit https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/covid-cli...
f you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/support If you would like to stay up to date with our news and events please sign up to our mailing list here: https://www.encephalitis.info/keep-in-touch Support our work providing help and assistance to families affected by encephalitis by visiting: https://www.encephalitis.info/donate
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Wednesday Jan 22, 2025
The Encephalitis Podcast Ep 41 - Climate change and encephalitis with Dr Jim Sejvar
Wednesday Jan 22, 2025
Wednesday Jan 22, 2025
Please note that this episode was recorded in November 2023.
In this episode of The Encephalitis Podcast, Dr Ava Easton is joined by Dr James Sejvar for a discussion around climate change, and how it's affecting our risk for deadly infectious diseases, such as West Nile encephalitis or Japanese encephalitis.
Dr Sejvar is a Neuroepidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh and, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, USA. At the time of the podcast, he led the Neuroepidemiology Unit at CDC’s Divisions of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology where his work focused on epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, and outcomes of infections of the nervous system work which took him all over the world.
He investigated the West Nile virus in the United States, Ebola in Central Africa, Zika in South America, and of course, COVID-19. Dr Sejvar is also a member of the Encephalitis International Scientific Advisory Panel.
This podcast was recorded November 2023 - we have updated information and insights on these infectious diseases to come in April 2025. WATCH this space!
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Thursday Dec 19, 2024
The Encephalitis Podcast Ep 40 - Anti DPPX encephalitis lived experience
Thursday Dec 19, 2024
Thursday Dec 19, 2024
One of our Team Encephalitis volunteers, Nicole, talks to Senior Medical Writer, Praveen, about her lived experience of encephalitis. Nicole was diagnosed with Anti-DPPX receptor encephalitis when she was 20 years old while she was at University. This lead to her needing to abandon her studies to recover. Luckily, Nicole is recovering well and is about to start the final semester of her course just two years later.
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Thursday Nov 07, 2024
Thursday Nov 07, 2024
In this episode, Dr Ava Easton (CEO of Encephalitis International) is joined by Professor Jonathan Evans - a distinguished expert in clinical neuropsychology at the university of Glasgow. Professor Jon Evans discusses the world of memory and its intersection with encephalitis including the difference between long term, short term memory and false memory, how it's referred to in the medical world and any available support aids.
If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/contact-our-helpline/
Our support groups are listed here https://www.encephalitis.info/online-support-meetings
If you would like to donate to help fund research, information and support for those affected by encephalitis, please follow this link: https://app.donorfy.com/form/L9J9FR7NZ5/00YAZ
Follow Encephalitis International:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encephalitisinternational
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encephalitisinternational/

Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
The Encephalitis Podcast Ep 38 - Scott Hamilton Kennedy: Shot in the Arm
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
Dr Ava Easton, CEO of Encephalitis International interviews the director of the documentary Shot in the Arm, Scott Hamilton Kennedy . Talking about vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. Find more about the film here www.shotinthearm.com and for more information about vaccine preventable forms of encephalitis please visit www.encephalitis.info/vaccine-preventable-encephalitis.
If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/contact-our-helpline/
Our support groups are listed here https://www.encephalitis.info/online-support-meetings
If you would like to donate to help fund research, information and support for those affected by encephalitis, please follow this link: https://app.donorfy.com/form/L9J9FR7NZ5/00YAZ
Follow Encephalitis International:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encephalitisinternational/
X: https://twitter.com/encephalitis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encephalitisinternational
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encephalitisinternational/

Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
The Encephalitis Podcast Ep 37 - Professor Michael Wilson: Metagenomics and encephalitis
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Dr Ava Easton was joined by Professor Michael Wilson from the Centre of Encephalitis and Meningitis at UCSF to talk about metagenomics and encephalitis.
For more information about Professor Wilson's work please visit https://encephalitis.ucsf.edu/
If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/contact-our-helpline/
Our support groups are listed here https://www.encephalitis.info/online-support-meetings
If you would like to donate to help fund research, information and support for those affected by encephalitis, please follow this link: https://app.donorfy.com/form/L9J9FR7NZ5/00YAZ
Follow Encephalitis International:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encephalitisinternational/
X: https://twitter.com/encephalitis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encephalitisinternational
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encephalitisinternational/

Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
The Encephalitis Podcast Ep 36 - Prof Arun Venkatesan: Death from encephalitis
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
TRIGGER WARNING: In this podcast episode, Dr Ava Easton CEO Encephalitis International, talks with Prof Arun Venkatesan about the difficult topic of death from encephalitis. This is something which will be sadly and unfortunately familiar to many families and friends who's loved ones have fallen ill from this condition.
If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/contact-our-helpline/
Our support groups are listed here https://www.encephalitis.info/online-support-meetings
Read more information about death from encephalitis on our website https://www.encephalitis.info/effects-of-encephalitis/death-from-encephalitis
If you would like to donate to help fund research, information and support for those affected by encephalitis, please follow this link: https://app.donorfy.com/form/L9J9FR7NZ5/00YAZ
Follow Encephalitis International
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encephalitisinternational/
X: https://twitter.com/encephalitis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encephalitisinternational
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encephalitisinternational/

Thursday Dec 14, 2023
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
In our final episode of 2023, Dr Ava Easton, host of the Encephalitis Podcast, talks to Phillippa Chapman, Deputy Chief Executive of Encephalitis international, and Bella Bardswell, co-founder of Stellafai.
The trio talk about the monumental decision to change the name of the Encephalitis Society to Encephalitis International, the reasons and thinking behind the strategic evolution, and what comes next as we celebrate our 30th anniversary in 2024.
For more information about Encephalitis International, https://www.encephalitis.info/
If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/contact-our-helpline/
If you have been affected by encephalitis and would like to become a member of the society, you can sign up here (membership is free and global): https://www.encephalitis.info/become-a-member/
If you would like to donate to help fund research, information and support for those affected by encephalitis, please follow this link: https://app.donorfy.com/form/L9J9FR7NZ5/00YAZ
Follow Encephalitis International Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encephalitisinternational/
X: https://twitter.com/encephalitis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encephalitisinternational
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encephalitisinternational/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@encephalitisinternational
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@encephalitisint
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@encephalitisinternational

Thursday Mar 23, 2023
The Encephalitis Podcast Ep 33- Dr Lance Turtle: Japanese encephalitis in Australia
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Dr Lance Turtle joins The Encephalitis Podcast to talk about the Japanese encephalitis virus and its impact on Australia over the past 12 months.
Lance is a Reader and Honorary Consultant Physician in Infectious Diseases at the University of Liverpool.
As always, the questions are asked by our host, Dr Ava Easton, Chief Executive of the Encephalitis Society.
The Encephalitis Podcast is available on all podcast channels and on our YouTube channel.
For more information about Dr Lance Turtle: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/infection-veterinary-and-ecological-sciences/staff/lance-turtle/
If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/support
For more information about Japanese encephalitis, visit https://www.encephalitis.info/japaneseencephalitis
If you have been affected by encephalitis and would like to become a member of the society, you can sign up here (membership is free and global): https://www.encephalitis.info/Pages/Category/membership
If you would like to donate to help fund research, information and support for those affected by encephalitis, please follow this link: https://www.encephalitis.info/donate/
Follow the Encephalitis Society:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EncephalitisSociety/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/encephalitis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_encephalitis_society_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-encephalitis-society

Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
The Encephalitis Podcast Ep 32 - Mental Health and Encephalitis
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Welcome to a special World Encephalitis Day edition of the Encephalitis Podcast.
Dr Ava Easton, Chief Executive of the Encephalitis Society, is joined by Dr Thomas Pollak, from Kings College London, and Dr Jesus Ramirez-Bermudez, of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Mexico, to talk about some two new important research papers around mental health and encephalitis.
An important note for our viewers and listeners: this podcast will be touching on some difficult areas, including more broad mental health issues and difficult topics such as self-harm and suicide.
If this is something which may lead to difficult emotions for you or for someone you know, please know that our support team are here to help and can be reached on support@encephalitis.info or by calling +44(0)1653 699599.
Also, in the links to this episode, you will find some resources which we have put together around mental health which we believe will be helpful to anyone affected by encephalitis and also their family and friends. This includes links to useful organisations around the world, a factsheet on mental health and lots of sources of support and information.
For more information about World Encephalitis Day on Wednesday, 22nd February, please visit www.worldencephalitisday.org
For information about mental health and encephalitis, visit https://www.encephalitis.info/pages/category/mental-health-and-encephalitis
If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/support
If you have been affected by encephalitis and would like to become a member of the society, you can sign up here (membership is free and global): https://www.encephalitis.info/Pages/Category/membership
If you would like to donate to help fund research, information and support for those affected by encephalitis, please follow this link: https://www.encephalitis.info/donate/
Follow the Encephalitis Society: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EncephalitisSociety/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/encephalitis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_encephalitis_society_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-encephalitis-society