With each new year comes possibility and promise. The challenges we have faced in 2021 continue to test our grit and in some ways, our patience. My deepest sympathies go out to those of you who have experienced loss associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet despite these challenges, I have witnessed our research and scientific community endure and persevere. With this in mind, I am steadfast and certain that there is much to be hopeful for in 2022.
Director's Messages
Neurodegenerative diseases result from progressive damage to cells and connections in the brain, spinal cord and nerves, impairing a person’s ability to move, think, communicate, or feel, and often ultimately lead to death.
The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system, and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.
When most people think of neurological disorders, a small number of diseases that affect millions of people-such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and stroke-come to mind. While we focus a majority of our effort on these devastating diseases, we also have very dedicated research programs devoted to finding treatments for numerous rare diseases, which are defined as conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 Americans.