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Schizophrenia, clinical and basic research at NIMH: A 75 Year retrospective
E Fuller Torrey1, Wendy Simmons1, Lisa Dailey2
1The Stanley Medical Research Institute.
Psychiatry Research
|October 15, 2024
Summary
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has significantly decreased funding for clinical research on severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. Recommendations include re-establishing clinical research as a priority.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Research
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Established in 1949, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) was mandated to research severe mental illnesses.
- Schizophrenia alone accounted for a significant portion of hospital beds, highlighting the need for research.
- The institute's 75th anniversary in 2024 prompts a review of its research priorities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the historical balance between clinical and basic research funded by NIMH.
- To assess the relative importance of NIMH-funded research using schizophrenia as a case study.
- To identify trends in NIMH's research portfolio over time.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of published studies and NIMH records.
- Interviews with current and former NIMH employees.
- Comparative analysis of research funding periods (e.g., 1984-1988 vs. 2018-2022).
Main Results:
- NIMH initially funded clinical and basic research equally for its first 40 years.
- A shift towards basic research occurred in the 1990s, influenced by projects like the Human Genome Project.
- By 2015, clinical research constituted only 10% of NIMH's portfolio, with a 95% decrease in extramural drug trials for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder between 2006-2023.
Conclusions:
- Data indicates a decline of at least 90% in NIMH's clinical research on severe mental illnesses over three decades.
- NIMH should reinstate clinical research on severe mental illnesses as a priority, aligning with its original congressional mandate.
- A recommendation is made for NIMH to allocate at least 50% of disease-related research funding to clinical research, with transparent documentation.
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