In osteoporosis the RANK ligand protein is all too effective in producing the breakdown effect, resulting in debilitating hip fractures in postmenopausal women and others.

FORBES: Biotech Behemoth

Interest has thus focused on drugs that inhibit the breakdown of acetylcholine, and also on nicotine, which works by mimicking its effect.

ECONOMIST: Cognitive enhancement

"It's a source of marriage breakdown, of stress, of people being ill, being off work - the knock-on effect of people wrestling with unmanageable debt in their lives can be massive, " he says.

BBC: Valleys church helps community fight debt