Welcome to another edition of ACNR which we hope continues to combine a range of interesting and readable articles and items. This issue begins with an excellent topical review on the neurological complications of coeliac disease by Adrian Wills and Pengiran Tengah.This comes at a time when the relevance and extent of gluten enteropathy to a range of neurological conditions, especially cere-bellar ataxia is being redefined, especially by the Sheffield group. Whatever one thinks about the true incidence of these associations, it is important to remember coeliac disease in a range of neurological conditions, although the response to treatment is often disappointing.

Following on from this controversial issue comes another on the cause of the ALS- parkinsonian-dementia complex found in the Guam peninsula. The development of this isolated cluster of neurological disease has generated much interest from epidemiologists and neurologists alike and with it a range of aetiological theories, of which the latest developed by Cox and Sacks has recently been published in Neurology and involves the eating of flying foxes. Huw Morris provides an interesting commentary on this article, in particular to a series of questions and answers that we posed and obtained from the
principal authors. Huw spent some time in Guam and is able to rely on his own experiences and local knowledge and contacts to provide the interesting counterpoint that forms his commentary.

We also have a useful update on the surgical treatment of dystonia using stereotactic surgery, an area that is looking exciting and may be of great therapeutic potential, especially given the paucity of effective medical therapies. Obviously proper trials need to be done to verify the approach (such as the randomised study already started by Professor Aziz), to prevent the adoption of a therapeutic strategy based on anecdote. We also have an excellent review from Fergus Gracey on the affective problems of traumatic brain injury, a topic that is often neglected, and an excellent historical account of Phineas Gage by Larner and Leach.

There is our usual collection of anatomy primer, journal reviews, conference and book reviews. Our regular Management feature is unfortunately delayed this issue – as we go to press, Gillian Hall is imminently expecting her second child. However, it will be back in September. Talking of babies, we'd like to congratulate our Rehabilitation Editor, Stephen Kirker, on the birth of baby Tom. Finally, we welcome Patrick Chinnery to the journal review team. So there it is, another action packed issue which you can read at leisure, now that those tense sporting moments which dominated last month have finally passed!

Roger Barker
AdvancesinCNR@aol.com