Mystifying malabsorption, and brain stem syndromes - Case Reports August 2026

Diet continues to be a growing presence in the neurological diagnoses cropping up for the Case Reports team, returning again after its previous appearance with gastric sleeves.

The first case (1:25), from UCLH in London, is that of a 49-yo woman, presenting with a history of worsening intermittent headaches and blurred vision. Metabolic testing identified high values for homocysteine and methyl malonic acid. Further probing of the patient's history revealed a previous eating disorder and recent dietary restriction after a bereavement, with subsequent weight loss. She was treated with a course of vitamin supplementation for B2, B6, B9 (folate), and B12, but re-presented again with persistent symptoms.

https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/4/400

The second case (22:19) comes from Cork, Ireland. A 19-yo woman presents with gradual onset headache, vomiting and unsteadiness. Her temperature is read at 38.4 ℃, prompting consideration of brain stem infections such as Lyme disease, tuberculosis and listeria. The MRI brain scan returned some unusual findings.

https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/4/395

This episode is the last appearance on the podcast for our dear discussant Dr. Ruth Wood, who - by now an able seaman - is disembarking for new shores. The paper on aquatic neurology may be the high water mark of her years on the podcast, but each episode was a pearl in its own right. Best wishes, Ruth!

Further reading:

• Whippits, nitrous oxide and the dangers of legal highs
• Beriberi following sleeve gastrectomy
• Functional vitamin B12 deficiency

The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the August 2026 issue of the journal.

(1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.
(2) Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, and an Honorary Neurology SpR at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford

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Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.