Science News About Institute Announcements

The National Institute of Mental Health hosted its second 75th Anniversary event—a symposium focused on inclusion in research, disparities in health and access to care, and diversity in the mental health workforce.

Learn about the 24 youth who received prizes in the national essay contest addressing mental health and mental health stigma.

On February 29, 2024, Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., announced his decision to end his tenure as the director of the National Institute of Mental Health.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the non-profit organization The Many Brains Project partnered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program to adapt a series of new game-like tasks that are now part of the All of Us Research Program’s participant experience.

The National Institutes of Health is inviting high school students ages 16-18 to participate in an essay contest on the topic of mental health stigma.

On October 23, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announced the creation of a new Division of Data Science and Technology (DST).

Patricia A. Areán, Ph.D., has been selected as the new director of the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR).

Susan A. Daniels, Ph.D. has been appointed as the HHS National Autism Coordinator and Director of the Office of National Autism Coordination (ONAC).

Karen Berman, M.D., a senior investigator at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), has been elected as a 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow.

Dr. Elisabeth A. Murray has been honored with the 2022 Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Neuroscience recognizing her distinguished career in biomedical research and dedication to mentoring future leaders in neuroscience.

Dr. Karen D. Lincoln wins the 2022 NIMH James Jackson Memorial Award in recognition of her excellence in mental health disparities research, mentorship, and community engagement.

In June 2022, Robert Heinssen, Ph.D., ABPP, will step down as director of the NIMH Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR) and transition to a new role as a senior advisor in the NIMH Office of the Director.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently selected Tracy Waldeck, Ph.D., as director of the Institute’s Division of Extramural Activities (DEA).

NIMH has selected Anna E. Ordóñez, M.D., M.A.S., as director of the Office of Clinical Research (OCR).

National Autism Coordinator Ann E. Wagner, Ph.D., will retire from federal service on June 30, 2021—Susan A. Daniels, Ph.D., will serve as Acting National Autism Coordinator beginning on July 1, 2021, and until a permanent successor is named.

Andrea Beckel-Mitchener, Ph.D., has been named deputy director of the trans-NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative.

In this statement, NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon reaffirms his commitment to dismantling structural racism in biomedical research and describes next steps for NIMH.

Carlos Zarate Jr., M.D., chief of the Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch within the NIMH Intramural Research Program, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

Right now, people across the country are currently coping with yet another episode of violence perpetrated against a person of color. In this Institute Update, Dr. Gordon addresses recent events.

The Strategic Plan for Research advances the Institute’s mission and helps guide future mental health research efforts.

Joshua Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health, and P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.B.B.S., of Duke University School of Medicine, discuss the use of apps to manage mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Susan Amara, Ph.D., scientific director of the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), has been selected to serve as president-elect of the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded more than four million dollars in FY 2019 to support seven research projects aimed at developing and validating screening tools to detect signs of autism spectrum disorder in the first year of life.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently developed a Clinical Research Toolbox designed to assist clinical investigators with the development of clinical research studies.

NIMH Director’s Statement on Diversity

NIMH has developed NIMH Education and Awareness, a portal on the NIMH website with tools and resources designed for and dedicated to outreach.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) congratulates NIMH grantees who received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

The National Institutes of Health invites students ages 16 to 18 years old to participate in the “Speaking Up About Mental Health!” essay contest to explore ways to address the stigma and social barriers that adolescents from racial and ethnic minority populations may face when seeking mental health treatment.

On April 11-13, 2019, approximately 1,500 scientists from many disciplines will attend the fifth annual Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN)® Initiative Investigators Meeting in Washington, DC. This open meeting provides a forum for discussing scientific developments and potential new directions, and to identify areas for collaboration and research coordination.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)’s 24th biennial Mental Health Services Research (MHSR 2018) conference held August 1-2, in Rockville, MD, brought together mental health researchers, trainees, consumers, advocates, and mental health care providers to learn about current research findings and discuss new research that might close the gap between what science shows is most effective and what services people actually receive in real-world settings.

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at a press conference at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual Meeting, National Institutes of Health directors will discuss how NIH is marshalling resources, primarily through the HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, to come up with short- and long-term solutions for countering the pain and opioid crisis.

Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and Ellen Leibenluft, M.D., chief of the Section on Mood Dysregulation and Neuroscience and co-chief of the Emotion and Development Branch in the NIMH Intramural Research Programs, have been elected as members of the National Academy of Medicine.

For National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon and Dr. Jane Pearson, chair of the Suicide Research Consortium at the NIMH, are available for interviews on suicide prevention research, trends, and the findings and implications of recent studies.

On August 1-2, 2018, the NIMH is hosting the 24th Mental Health Services Research (MHSR) Conference with the theme: What’s the Next Big Thing? The conference aims to promote high-priority areas in mental health services research and identify opportunities with potential for significant impact for people with mental disorders.

NIMH’s Dr. Ann Wagner has been designed as the National Autism Coordinator. In this role, she will play a vital role in ensuring the implementation of national autism spectrum disorder research, services, and support activities across federal agencies.

On February 20, 2018, join NIMH for a Twitter chat on Seasonal Affective Disorder with expert Dr. Matthew Rudorfer.

Redesigned web section adds interactive tools, sharing features.

Research in a wide range of disciplines supports the idea that mental disorders result from the complex interplay of biological, developmental, social, and environmental processes; however, the more we learn about mental disorders, the more we realize there are still gaps in our understanding of how best to classify, diagnose, and treat them.

Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., Director of NIMH, has been promoted to Fellow status by the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology based on his scientific reputation, contributions to the College through committee work and involvement in the Annual Meeting program.

American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to induct Dr. Gordon and other recipients in February ceremony.

Follow @NIMHDirector on Twitter.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently released its second annual update of the Strategic Research Priorities.

The directors of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke discuss the importance of post-mortem brain donation in a joint message.

Dr. Shelli Avenevoli has been named deputy director of NIMH.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) congratulates two NIMH grantees, Mary Kay Lobo from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Eric Morrow from Brown University, who are among the 102 scientists and researchers receiving the 2017 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announces that Francis McMahon, M.D., is a recipient of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation’s 2016 Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorders Research.

At its annual meeting for 2016, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) announced the election of 79 regular members, including the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH Karen F. Berman, M.D. One of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, election to the Academy recognizes outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

The NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) unit, the Delaware Project (DP), and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) will launch a webinar series examining the science-to-service pipeline in psychology and psychiatry.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently released updates to its Strategic Research Priorities.

RDoC Unit at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announce that they are holding monthly virtual “office hours” starting Friday, October 14, 2016.

NIMH is supporting Zero Suicide efforts with 3 new research grants. Each project focuses on prevention and health care systems.

Three NIMH grantees have been named recipients of the 2016 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience.

Studies based on a database made available by the Human Connectome Project’s first phase reveal that an individual’s brain connectivity can predict his or her behavior.

NIMH congratulates four NIMH grantees who received the 2016 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

The more folding in the thinking parts of our brain, the smarter we are – to a degree.

Is mobile mental health research the next frontier for smartphones? Based on Dr. Patricia Areán’s pioneering BRIGHTEN study, research via smartphone app is already a reality.

Coordinated Specialty Care for First Episode Psychosis is Cost Effective

NIMH scientists have recently discovered a link between order in the activity of neurons in the brain and excitability—how likely it is that individual neurons will “fire”— which may provide a means for monitoring treatment of conditions like epilepsy that would be less invasive and thus more versatile than current methods

On October 16, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced support for a new treatment for first episode psychosis called coordinated specialty care (CSC). This decision means more clinics may be able to offer CSC and it may become more readily available.

Researchers find antipsychotic use among older adults increases with age despite known health risks. In 2010, more than 3/4 of seniors receiving an antipsychotic prescription had no documented clinical psychiatric diagnosis during the year. In addition, among those who did have a diagnosed mental disorder and/or dementia, nearly half of the oldest patients had dementia, regardless of FDA warnings that antipsychotics increase mortality in people with dementia.

New research shows that a team-based, coordinated specialty care treatment plan produces better outcomes than typical community care for people with first episode psychosis. Investigators also found that treatment is most effective for people who receive care soon after psychotic symptoms begin.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)’s Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Unit has launched its official account on Twitter, @NIMH_RDoC.

NIMH, NIH, and the National Institute of Justice are collaborating on a 4-year, $6.8 million study called Suicide Prevention for at-Risk Individuals in Transition or “SPIRIT.” The study focuses on the high-risk individuals who are transitioning from jail to community. SPIRIT is NIMH’s first major investment in suicide prevention in the justice system.

New York expanded OnTrackNY, a treatment program for youth with psychosis which is an offshoot of one of the two NIMH-funded Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) studies.

Boys are more likely than girls to receive an antipsychotic prescription regardless of age, according to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

New report on mental health service use among racial/ethnic groups

New NIMH Strategic Plan balances the need for long-term investments in basic research with urgent mental health needs.

Dr. Sarah Hollingsworth Lisanby, one of the leading researchers in the area of neuromodulatory interventions for treating major depression, will join NIMH as the director of the Division of Translational Research.

Soldiers hospitalized with a psychiatric disorder have a higher suicide risk in the year following discharge from the hospital.

Many patients with first-episode psychosis receive medications that do not meet guidelines. A study finds that almost 40 % of people with first-episode psychosis in community mental health clinics across the country might benefit from medication treatment changes.

Many patients with psychosis develop health risks associated with premature death early in the course of their mental illness, researchers have found.

An increasing number of U.S. adults connect to the web through smartphones or a tablets, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Internet Project. With NIMH’s new mobile-friendly website, visitors can access NIMH information and resources anywhere, anytime, and on any device—from desktop computers to tablets and mobile phones.

NIMH announces a new unit within the Office of the Director to support the development of the institute’s Research Domain Criteria initiative. The unit will enhance communication with scientists, clinicians, and the public to refine the RDoC research framework and accelerate the translation of basic research into clinical treatments.

A drug being studied as a fast-acting mood-lifter restored pleasure-seeking behavior independent of – and ahead of – its other antidepressant effects.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released the findings of a new clinical study providing national data on the past-year prevalence of specific mental disorders in adults.

Many patients with psychosis develop health risks associated with premature death early in the course of their mental illness, researchers have found.

Over the past decade or so, evidence has emerged suggesting that the birth of new neurons in the adult brain’s memory hub, or hippocampus, may play a key role the action of antidepressants, resilience to stress, the benefits of exercise and enriched environments, and preventing memory loss. But understanding how it might work has remained elusive. NIMH researchers in NIH’s new Porter Neuroscience Research Center are following up leads.

NIMH Director Honored by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation

NIMH’s Dr. Robert Heinssen Receives Special Presidential Commendation from APA

A brain blueprint maps where genes are tuned on and off during mid-pregnancy—when most brain disorders such as autism and schizophrenia occur.

The 22nd National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Conference on Mental Health Services Research (MHSR): Research in Pursuit of a Learning Mental Health Care System, will be convened on April 23–25, 2014, at the Natcher Conference Center on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Campus, Bethesda, MD.

NIMH scientists presented hands-on demonstrations of neural electrical activity at the National Museum of Health and Medicine Brain Awareness Week program, March 12, 2014.

As part of Brain Awareness Week 2014, scientists from seven NIH institutes will sponsor hands-on activities—aimed at helping students learn about the brain—at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring, MD

NIMH announces updated World Health Organization estimates of the burden of disease in the United States.

NIMH Twitter Chat on Eating Disorders

NIMH/NICHD experts explain what sparks and halts youth violence.