Belgian neurologist wins €1m prize for work on serious brain trauma

Generet prize will fund more trials by Steven Laureys to help written-off 'vegetative' patients

A pioneering Belgian neurologist has been awarded a1m to fund further work in helping diagnose the most severe brain injuries, as he seeks to battle "the silent epidemic" and help people written off as "vegetative" who, it is believed, will never recover.

Steven Laureys, head of the coma science group at Liige University hospital, plans to use the 850,000 award - larger than the Nobel prize - to improve the diagnosis of coma survivors labelled as being in a "persistent vegetative state".