An Iranian study has examined links between nut consumption and the risk of death by cardiovascular disease - including stroke and heart attack. A total of 5,432 adults aged 35 and older with no history of cardiovascular disease were randomly selected from urban and rural areas of the Isfahan, Arak and Najafabad counties. Intake of nuts including walnuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, and seeds was assessed in 2001 with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Participants or family members were interviewed every two years until 2013 for the occurrence of cardiovascular events and death.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued new guidance to councils in England on Blue Badge parking permit eligibility, along with a new online eligibility checker to make the scheme clearer for people before they apply. In the biggest change to Blue Badges since the 1970s, the DfT has been working with specialists to expand the eligibility criteria for the badges, which now includes people who cannot walk as part of a journey without considerable psychological distress or the risk of serious harm. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “We know that for some people, the possibility of not being able to find a parking space can make even leaving the house a challenge, which is why the Blue Badge is so important.

As bodies age, muscles and joints can become stiff, making everyday movements more difficult. This study shows the same is true in our brains, and that age-related brain stiffening has a significant impact on the function of brain stem cells. Researchers at the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, studied young and old rat brains to understand the impact of age-related brain stiffening on the function of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs).

Almost half (43 per cent) of all stroke survivors in the UK aged under 65 face financial hardship as a result of their stroke, according to the study. The latest instalment of the Stroke Association’s Lived Experience report estimates that some 12,000 stroke survivors under 65 have had to sell their home amid rising costs and lower income after a stroke. The findings show that 51 per cent of stroke survivors aged under 65 have to give up work or reduce their working hours following their stroke. One in six say they have experienced discrimination, missed out on a promotion or faced an unsupportive employer.

The University of Sheffield and the charity Parkinson’s UK are working together to modify a number of drug compounds that have been found to boost cell function in people living with Parkinson's. The project is led by Dr Heather Mortiboys and her team from the university’s Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) and its Neuroscience Institute. Funding of £100,000 has been provided by the Virtual Biotech Programme - Parkinson's UK’s drug development arm. Dopamine-containing brain cells - vital for healthy coordination and movement - rely on energy-producing mitochondria to function.