On this episode of The Raw Nerve we mark World Brain Day, an annual event observed on July 22, which aims to foster quality neurology and brain health worldwide.

What is brain health for people living with MS? How can you keep your brain healthy?
Our brain is the most complex organ in our body, allowing us to sense, feel, think, move and interact with the world around us. The brain helps us to regulate and influence many of our body’s core functions including those of the cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine and immune systems. Many factors can affect our brain health even before we were conceived!

Host Dr Fiona McKay and three experts discuss brain health and MS, their work and some exciting outcomes from research funded by MS Australia. We explore how to keep your brain healthy while living with MS, early intervention in MS, treatments and monitoring at different stages of life, progressive MS and some exciting new research to develop therapies to repair the brain.

Having a healthy brain that functions well is important for people with MS, and our panel talk about some of the key recommended steps, including as outlined in MS Australia’s new Living Well with MS resource.

Our guests are Dr Olivia Wills Associate Lecturer, Associate Research Fellow from University of Wollongong’s EatRightMS research group. A dietitian, Olivia recently completed her PHD on brain health and MS and led a study revealing 16 evidence-based recommendations to boost brain health for people living with MS. From Monash University, we have Dr Steven Petratos, a researcher in neuroscience and Head of The Petratos Group. 

Rounding out the panel is neurologist and MS researcher ⁠Dr Izanne Roos⁠ from the University of Melbourne. Izanne’s ⁠current MS Australia-funded project⁠, work and interest is early intervention with high-efficacy treatments for people living with MS (including for those with severe MS) and her work from ⁠MSBase⁠.

Join us as we spotlight brain health and MS, early interventions, new research, new treatments and repairing the brain in MS, plus lifestyle recommendations for people with MS to maximise brain health.