#125: The MS Brain Health Strategy: Treatments, Cognitive Tools & Patient Empowerment with Prof. Barbara Willekens
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
Release Date: 08/06/2025
#152: EUPATI: Empowering Patient Voices in Medical Research and Innovation with Dr. Ingrid Klingmann
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
This time I speak with Dr. Ingrid Klingmann about empowering patient voices in medical research and innovation. Dr. Klingmann is one of the initiators of EUPATI, a European initiative dedicated to educating patients about the medicines development process. Drawing on her experience as a physician, researcher, and former cancer patient, she explains why informed patients are essential partners in clinical research. The conversation explores how patient education improves clinical trials, why lay summaries matter, and how digital tools can help patients move from passive recipients to active...
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#151: Redesigning life with MS. Paola Escamilla Greenham on advocacy, empowerment & purpose
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
In this episode of the MS Perspektive Podcast, Nele von Horsten speaks with Paola Escamilla Greenham, MS patient advocate and patient experience designer living in Grenoble, France. Paola shares how her life with multiple sclerosis reshaped her priorities and led her toward patient advocacy across Europe. She talks openly about her diagnosis, the emotional shock that followed, and why joy has become her guiding principle in daily life. The conversation explores the importance of community, lived experience in healthcare design, and Paola’s vision for involving patients more meaningfully in...
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#150: Treating chronic smoldering inflammation: How far has research come? With Dr. Boris Kallmann
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
Research News with Dr. Boris Kallmann In this episode of the MS Perspective Podcast, we focus on chronic smoldering inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) – a process that can drive slow disease progression, even when relapses no longer occur. I speak with Dr. Boris Kallmann, neurologist and MS specialist, about how these subtle changes develop, how they can be recognized in everyday clinical practice, and which treatment options are available today – and may become available in the near future. 👉 You can also read the full interview on my blog, where this episode is available as a...
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#149: What Your Mouth Reveals About MS. Prof. Dr. Ashutosh Mangalam on the Oral Microbiome and Future Therapies
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
What can your mouth tell us about multiple sclerosis? In this episode of the MS-Perspektive Podcast, Professor Dr. Ashutosh Mangalam, immunologist and microbiome researcher at the University of Iowa, shares fascinating insights into the oral microbiome and multiple sclerosis. While most MS research focuses on the gut, this conversation highlights why oral bacteria and their metabolites may also play an important role in inflammation, immune regulation, and disease activity. We talk about what the microbiome is, how the oral microbiome differs in people with MS, and why beneficial bacteria are...
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#148: Recognizing silent progression in MS with Prof. Dr. Heinz Wiendl
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
In this episode, Prof. Dr. Heinz Wiendl discusses why disease progression can occur even when relapses are well controlled and MRI scans appear stable. The conversation focuses on how subtle changes can develop over time, how they can be recognized earlier, and what this means for people living with MS. This episode was supported by Sanofi S.A. and is an English translation of the original German interview. You can find the full blog article with all questions, answers, and additional context here: 👉 Topics discussed in this episode why disease progression can occur even when relapses...
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#147: Annual Review 2025 & Outlook 2026
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
In this very personal episode, I open the doors behind the microphone and share what truly shaped 2025 – a year of endurance, motherhood, advocacy work, sleep deprivation, and two weekly podcast shows in German and English. I also share what will change in 2026 – with a focus on sleep, gentle growth, an English talk format, books, and fast-track MS knowledge for the community. 🔍 In this episode You will hear about: why I do a yearly review and why reflection matters 2025 in one word: endurance family milestones – daycare and school beginnings building a home instead of...
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#146: What is Chronic Smoldering Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis? With Dr. Klarissa Hanja StĂĽrner
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
This episode was supported by Sanofi S.A. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Klarissa Hanja Stürner about chronic smoldering inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS)—a slow, often hidden process that may drive disease progression even when relapses and MRI activity appear stable. Dr. Stürner explains how chronic inflammation behind the blood–brain barrier differs from acute relapse-related inflammation, why it is so difficult to detect with current imaging, and which warning signs people with MS should take seriously. We also discuss PIRA (Progression Independent of Relapse Activity), the...
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#145: From Mental Health to Lifestyle Change: What Recent MS Research Means for Everyday Life. An ECTRIMS 2025 Special
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
Living with multiple sclerosis means making daily decisions that go far beyond medication. Mental health, lifestyle, rehabilitation, empowerment, and access to care all play a crucial role in how well people live with MS. In this special episode from ECTRIMS 2025, I bring together insights from six international experts who presented new research on well-being, mental health, lifestyle interventions, and patient empowerment in MS. You’ll hear what is already evidence-based, what looks promising but needs more research, and—most importantly—what you can realistically take from this...
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#144: Accessible Adventures: How Kristen Turned a Wheelchair Journey into Empowerment
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
In this episode, wheelchair padel athlete and clinical research expert Kristen Paskins shares how she rebuilt her confidence after suddenly losing her mobility in 2022. Traveling alone with a wheelchair for the first time — to attend the EUPATI training in Madrid — became a turning point in her journey toward independence, advocacy, and self-discovery. You can read through the interview on my blog: We talk honestly about the emotional and practical realities of traveling with a wheelchair, including airport challenges, accessibility barriers, fears, resilience, and the unexpected wins...
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#143: How menopause impacts MS. Hormones, biomarkers, and what women need to know with Dr. Riley Bove
MS-Perspektive – the Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
In this episode of MS-Perspektive International, host Nele von Horsten talks with Dr. Riley Bove, Associate Professor of Neurology at UCSF, about how menopause impacts MS. They explore hormonal changes in perimenopause, why menopausal and MS symptoms overlap so strongly and what this means for diagnosis and daily life. You can read through the cleaned transcript of the interview on my blog: Dr. Bove explains the benefits and risks of hormone therapy, including the importance of the “window of opportunity”, and shares findings from recent studies using biomarkers like neurofilament light...
info_outline📖 Read the full blog interview here 👉 https://ms-perspektive.com/125-barbara-willekens
🎙️ What’s this episode about?
In episode 125, neurologist Prof. Barbara Willekens shares powerful insights on how to protect and improve your brain health while living with MS. We talk about the importance of early treatment, how lifestyle changes and digital tools can help, and why shared decision-making empowers patients to take control of their care.
Whether you're newly diagnosed or have been managing MS for years, this conversation offers guidance, hope, and practical tips to support your cognitive and physical well-being.
🧠Topics we cover:
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What "brain health" really means for people with MS
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Why early and high-efficacy disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) are essential
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The role of lifestyle choices: small changes, big impact
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How to manage comorbidities like anxiety, sleep problems or hypertension
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Strategies for maintaining cognitive function
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Digital tools and wearables to track your brain health
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What shared decision-making looks like in real life
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The global inequality in MS care and what can be done about it
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Prof. Willekens' vision for the next breakthrough in MS treatment
🔥 Memorable quotes:
“You can still have brain health—even with MS.”
“Stopping smoking would be my number one advice.”
“Being diagnosed with MS today is completely different than 20 years ago.”
👩‍⚕️ About my guest:
Prof. Barbara Willekens is a neurologist and senior MS specialist at Antwerp University Hospital. She is also a clinical researcher focusing on advanced therapies, brain repair, and multidisciplinary MS care.
đź”— Follow her on LinkedIn or search her work on PubMed
đź“Ś Resources mentioned:
- MS Brain Health Strategy: https://www.msbrainhealth.org
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Linked episodes on smoking, cognition, and family planning – see blog post for direct links!
See you soon and try to make the best out of your life,
Nele
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