
By Staff Writer
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, just over 20 percent children have had a seriously debilitating mental disorder either currently or at some point during their life. In response to these figures, the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD)'s Brain and Behavior Research Fund is awarding $12.6 million in new research grants.
A total of 214 scientists have been chosen from facilities on six continents to receive the Young Investigator grant award. The honorees will receive $60,000 over two years to pursue research that is related to schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as well as obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Benita Shobe, NARSAD president and CEO, said that the organization aims to find young researchers who are on the brink of making new progress in the mental health field. She added that the recipients are selected for their potential to improve the lives of people living with mental illness.
NARSAD has awarded more than $274 million in 4,046 grants to 3,319 scientists around the world since 1987.