Harriet Ball

Neurology trainee and researcher, interested in cognition & functional disorders

[Anish K Patel @anish_k_patel]

One of the most misunderstood parts of medicine:
Why health professionals ask you to repeat your story.

When we take a history, we’re recognising patterns and testing possibilities.

What is causing this?
How serious might it be?
What can I do to help?

1/n

[Margaret McCartney @mgtmccartney]

PSA screening media coverage is currently very poor. Various charities are not helping but instead adding to the confusion and hype. The Times today carries another high profile individual story of how they were "absolutely" saved by screening with PSA testing.

[Niels Detert @NielsDetert]

Functional Neurological Disorder takes its rightful place as one of 7 main Neurology specialisms - now the challenge is to provide resources for the new services mandated in this service specification

[Alzheimer's Society For Researchers @AlzSocResearch]

Meeting more of our fab funded researchers at #AAIC25! Dr Lindsey Sinclair from @BristolUni with her poster on differential gene expression in depression and #AlzheimersDisease Look out for Lindsey's #FameLabUK talk on @YouTube coming soon!

[Margaret McCartney @mgtmccartney]

oh for goodness sake @RishiSunak @Keir_Starmer ! if there was data showing a clear benefit of screening it would already be being done. this is not the way to generate evidence based safe healthcare. the UK National Screening Committee exists - use it!

[Sergi Costafreda Gonzalez @CostafredaSergi]

As psychiatrists, we’re at the frontline of assessing mental state, capacity, and potential coercion in complex assisted dying cases. Our expertise is going to matter for safeguarding vulnerable people. Why exclude the Royal College of Psychiatrists from these vital discussions?

[Alex Mortimer @AM_Mortimer]

The move to 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy provision for ischaemic stroke: an observational study of the impact on referrals, activity, procedural efficacy, and safety at a supra-regional centre https://t.co/EQ1W44GtoG

[Verónica Cabreira @Veronicabreira]

#Mementum App for #Functional cognitive disorder, our feasibility trial in NHS Scotland is just finishing, watch this space 👀
Big thanks to my team @AlanCarson15 @jonstoneneuro, Lisbeth Frostholm, all stakeholders and incredible patients, as well as the whole @CognissHQ team

[Jon Stone @jonstoneneuro]

“In order to understand brain fog we need to ask more questions”. Here’s a key figure from @lauramcw ‘s excellent review

[Charlie Watts @char1iewatts]

Big news, everyone! The new Ashley Down Rail Station finally has an opening date: Saturday, September 28. This is going to make such a difference to transport in Bristol 🚂

[Robert Howard @ProfRobHoward]

Led by the wonderful Becky Gould, we show Acceptance and Commitment Therapy improves quality of life in people with MND. Open access in Lancet today. Wonderful to be part of a trial with a positive result for once! https://t.co/Kc1SiiQ5I7

[Verónica Cabreira @Veronicabreira]

How would 45 expert clinicians from 12 countries approach seven clinical vignettes from memory clinics?
It turns out clinical positive characteristics alone allow a very clear discrimination between FCD and neurodegeneration. Our #delphistudy is now out: https://t.co/3n46PbBE5J

[Michael Baum @MichaelBaum11]

My letter in the Times has generated a lot of interest so I thought it might help if I described the time line for reaching this frame of mind. I attach a copy of the letter and then run through a series of tweets to tell the story.

[James Cole @JamesCole_Neuro]

More great normative modelling work, this time in LBD led by @RohanBhome, with @rimonaweil @serena_verdi @amarquand and a brilliant team of collaborators:
https://t.co/A9wyzgffqe

[Harriet Ball @haariet]

@twmbach27 Happy Down syndrome day! Glad to see George is thriving x

[Robert Howard @ProfRobHoward]

NHS England » Dementia programme and preparation for new Alzheimer’s disease modifying treatments https://t.co/nTj48VWPvF

[Charlotte Summers @charlot_summers]

🚨Calling all medically-qualified people with (current or former) experience of clinical academia. 🚨
@The_MRC are seeking to understand the decline in the UK clinical academic workforce & are seeking input. Please take the time to fill out their survey: https://t.co/cfuz0iaz06

[Elizabeth Mallam @MallamElizabeth]

🎉 our next advert is out for our expanding FND team in Bristol

🗣️ Psychologist, band 8b

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the direction of our fully comprehensive FND team!

Job description etc - https://t.co/ajWzEUedAU

[Harriet Ball @haariet]

Jon Stone explains why “incongruence” is an unhelpful and unnecessary label when diagnosing FND. I totally agree!

[Jon Stone @jonstoneneuro]

‘Incongruence in FND - time for retirement’ - my new short neuromythology paper for @PracticalNeurol - short thread 1/

https://t.co/Bvdvnyl5Or

FREE download link here https://t.co/Ae9BS5jkL7

[Margaret McCartney @mgtmccartney]

If you are interested in the way politicians try and influence the decisions that NICE takes about what drugs to approve, and what general practice does, and how evidence is regarded. please do read this. (I cannot tell you how many hours this took. What we found was shocking.)