Funding Science
Several papers in the past few weeks have commented on the dismal state of funding for U.S. biomedical research1,2,3,4 (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - January 23, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
What Caused This to Happen?
“What caused this to happen?” is usually one of the first questions asked by patients and their families following a psychotic episode, suicide attempt, or manifestation of any serious mental illness. In earlier times, the explanations ranged from an imbalance of the “humours” to demonic possession. More recently, there have been “schizophrenogenic” or “refrigerator” mothers and “abusive” or “toxic” fathers. Modern scientists and clinicians point to a mix of genetic and environmental factors but these explanations are rarely satisfying and do little to stem the tide of guilt, shame, and blame that s...
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - January 13, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
Best of 2014
No question: this year’s big biomedical story was Ebola. Headlines, Sunday news shows, multiple Congressional hearings, a Presidential visit to NIH—autumn seemed to be all Ebola all the time. Thus far, the death count from Ebola has been one in the U.S. and over 6,000 in Africa. Less noticed, deaths from suicide in 2014 will probably surpass 40,000 in the U.S., roughly one every 13 minutes. According to a recent World Health Organization report (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - December 17, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
Lost in Translation
Marfan syndrome is a rare genetic disease of connective tissue caused by a mutation in FBN1 (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - December 5, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
Can We Prevent Psychosis?
Each year, about 500,000 young people in this country seek help for symptoms that resemble the prodrome of a psychotic illness. They are not actively psychotic, but they may be struggling in school, dealing with odd thoughts, and becoming socially isolated. Some describe brief hallucinations or paranoid ideas. Many have become “basement kids,” playing video games alone most of the week and losing interest in the world above ground. Most of these youth will, ultimately, be fine. But about one in three of those identified as high risk will have a first psychotic episode within three years.1 (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - November 20, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
P-Hacking
Later this week, more than 30,000 neuroscientists will descend on Washington, DC, for the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting. The meeting will likely reveal extraordinary progress in studies of brain structure and function, with thousands of posters and short presentations from a diverse crowd, ranging from excited graduate students to the venerable leaders of brain science. Amidst the excitement and sheer volume of activity, it’s easy to forget about a sobering set of recent reports that as much as 80 percent of the science from academic labs, even science published in the best journals, cannot be replicated. (Sour...
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - November 15, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
BRAINS—A New Research Generation
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
Mental Health in Davos
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
A New Research Agenda for Suicide Prevention
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
A Growth Chart for the Mind
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
BITs and BYTEs
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
A New Approach to Clinical Trials
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
Clues to Risk and Resilience: Army STARRS
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
Brain Awareness
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
Celebrating Science
Director’s Blog (Source: NIMH Directors Blog)
Source: NIMH Directors Blog - October 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Insel Source Type: blogs
