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National Institutes of Health
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Director's Corner

Thomas R. Insel, Director of NIMH

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The NIMH is the lead Federal agency for supporting innovative science that will profoundly transform the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders, paving the way for a cure.

Our mission is to reduce the burden of mental illness and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior. The burden is enormous. The World Health Organization's Global Burden of Disease study reported that mental disorders comprise four of the top five sources of premature death and disability in 15-44 year olds in the Western world. Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, autism, and other mental disorders are serious, often life-threatening illnesses for which we need reliable diagnostic tests, new treatments, and effective strategies for prevention. Our public health mission mandates a focus on those with the most serious mental illness.

On this page, you will find a variety of resources on some of the most pressing issues faced by NIMH today. These resources reflect my personal vision for mental health research and advancing the field to achieve NIMH's mission.

Selected Publications by the Director

Reports, articles, and other published works…

Other On-Line Resources