How is it acceptable that the fate of your brain depends on where you live? Most hospitals in the United States can provide acute stroke treatments that are life-saving and prevent life-long disability. However, the key to a successful outcome is to immediately recognize stroke symptoms and call 911 so that hospital treatments can be delivered within a few hours. Sadly, many people across the country do not receive these acute stroke treatments.
Director's Messages
Every year from September 15th through October 15th, our nation celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM), and this year’s theme is "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation,” designated by The National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM). We embrace this message with our own twist: “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger NINDS!”
Neurodegenerative diseases result in progressive damage to specific cells and connections in the brain and spinal cord, and they exact an incalculable toll on patients, as well as their families and caregivers. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that gradually robs people of their ability to walk, talk, move, swallow, and even to breathe on their own.
September is Pain Awareness Month – an opportunity to reflect on our efforts to help the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain and to acknowledge that pain has cascading impacts on individuals, families, communities, and the nation. At the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), in collaboration with our partners across the National Institutes of Health (NIH), our programs support research at all levels - from basic science to therapy development to clinical research.
Funding the highest quality science is a critically important element in advancing the mission of NINDS. Our Office of Research Quality leads NINDS’s efforts through workshop and meeting presentations, publications, and dissemination of research design and transparent reporting guidance and comprehensive educational tools. In May of this year, we brought together a group of de facto “Rigor Champions” for a two-day workshop to discuss how best to promote the principles of scientific rigor and transparency at research institutions.
Neurological disorders are the leading causes of disability worldwide.
June is Pride Month, and this month has been an important time to reflect on the neurological health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people and all others who fall under the queer umbrella (LGBTQI+). Approximately 11 million individuals identify as LGBTQI+ living in the United States in 2020. Our society, like LGBTQI+ individuals, is multidimensional, encompassing all races, ethnicities, religions, and social classes.
From June 21-22, 2022, NIH will host the 8th Annual Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative Meeting:
Some scientific problems exceed the capabilities of one or two laboratories, and therefore NINDS recognizes that interdisciplinary team science is essential to advancing our mission. By leveraging expertise and approaches across multiple disciplines, we can tackle the most ambitious goals and challenges in modern neuroscience research.
May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month – a time for us to highlight the many contributions of our AA and NHPI members in the NINDS community, and to recognize the efforts of our AA and NHPI staff.