Finding new cures for neurological disorders: a possible fringe benefit of biodefense research?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports research about and the development of better therapies for treating exposure to toxic chemicals that could be used in a terrorist attack or released during an industrial accident. A review of recent research published by NIH investigators working in this field indicates that scientific advances in this area also have implications for reducing the burden of other neurological diseases and disorders. Some key examples discussed include studies on the development of therapeutic drugs to treat seizures and the neuropathology caused by chemical nerve agents, which may help find better cures for epilepsy, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases.