Dr Peter Foley (MRCP Neurology, PhD)
Consultant Neurologist, Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer

Contact details
- Email: v1pfole2@ed.ac.uk
Availability
Please do not send any clinical details to this email address.
Background
Research roles:
Invisible symptoms (such as pain, fatigue and others) can be a major source of distress for people with neurological conditions and are extremely common. Yet often we do not know why they happen, and how they are related to the underlying neurological condition.
I completed a PhD analysing the role of brain mechanisms in the modulation of neuropathic pain, in people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. This multidisciplinary research used various methods including neuroimaging and neuropsychological asesssments, and was carried out in collaboration with the University of Oxford.
I am developing a programme of research focused on difficult symptoms in neurological disorders, including pain. I am interested in trying to work out why difficult symptoms occur, what they tell us about the underlying neurological condition, and ultimately what can be done to help people with these distressing problems.
Clinical Roles:
I am a consultant neurologist in NHS Lothian. My clinical training was in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee. Roles include general neurology, acute/on-call, as well as specialty clinics in multiple sclerosis and Huntingtons disease.
Qualifications
PhD
MRCP (Neurology)
Responsibilities & affiliations
Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences
Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
Yes
Research summary
Principal current research projects:
Octopus: trial platform for progressive multiple sclerosis (PI)
FutureMS: Scottish multicentre observational study in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (co-investigator)
https://www.annerowlingclinic.org/research-trials/find-project/futurems-phase-2
Enroll-HD: International cohort study in Huntingtons Disease (PI)
HealthE-RND: International quality of life study in Huntingtons Disease (PI)
https://healthe-rnd.eu/about-us/
Other research projects:
Edinburgh brain and tissue bank (interested patients can be referred)
https://www.ed.ac.uk/clinical-brain-sciences/research/edinburgh-brain-and-tissue-bank
DIMES multicentre audit of MS diagnosis (Lothian liaison consultant)
iMark-HD (Peripheral referring site for this Kings College London-based observational and imaging study in Huntingtons Disease)
https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03434548
Affiliated research centres
-
Network analysis characterizes key associations between subjective fatigue and specific depressive symptoms in early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
In:
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, vol. 69, pp. 104429
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2022.104429
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
FutureMS cohort profile: a Scottish multicentre inception cohort study of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
In:
BMJ Open, vol. 12, pp. e058506
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058506
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Efficacy of Fluoxetine, Riluzole and Amiloride in treating neuropathic pain associated with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Pre-specified analysis of the MS-SMART double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial
In:
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, vol. 63
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2022.103925
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Coupling cognitive and brainstem dysfunction in multiple sclerosis-related chronic neuropathic limb pain
In:
Brain Communications, vol. 4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcac124
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
FutureMS Cohort Profile: A Scottish Multi-Centre Inception Cohort Study of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.15.21253274
Research output: › Preprint (Published) -
Seeding of infection in previously asymptomatic meningioma
In:
Practical Neurology, pp. practneurol-2019-002418
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/practneurol-2019-002418
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Association of neuropathic limb pain in multiple sclerosis with cognition , behaviour, and measures of brain structure: a case-control MRI neuroimaging study
(1 page)
In:
The Lancet, vol. 387, pp. 45
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00432-3
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Meeting abstract (Published)
In the press
BBC Scotland television "Reporting Scotland" broadcast 20th Sep 2023 - reporter Elizabeth Quigley - report on the Octopus trial platform for progressive MS in Scotland
BBC Scotland radio "Good Morning Scotland" broadcast 21st Sep 2023 - reporter Elizabeth Quigley - report on the Octopus trial platform for progressive MS in Scotland