The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and British Geological Survey (BGS) will announce plans for a multi-million-pound geological research facility to be built in Cheshire. read more

An opinion piece, published in the BMJ, argues that tackle and scrum should be banned in school rugby because head injury is associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, adding to existing evidence that head injury may lead to neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. Parkinson’s disease. read more

Researchers publishing in Current Biology report that a 35 year-old man who had been in a vegetative state for 15 years has shown signs of consciousness after neurosurgeons implanted a vagus nerve stimulator into his chest. read more

The National Institute for Care Excellence (Nice) has announced a new draft guideline for diagnosing and managing Lyme disease. read more

A new study, published in the Lancet, examines the association between higher recreational and non-recreational physical activity and lower risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease. read more

In a new study published in Molecular Therapy researchers – using gene immunotherapy – were able to demonstrate the prevention and reversing of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in mice. read more