National Research Institutes

Title IV of the Public Health Service Act authorizes biomedical research activities, many of which relate to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disabling conditions.

There are more than a dozen institutes that are part of the National Institutes of Health, including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. This institute conducts and funds research, training, information dissemination, and other programs regarding neurological diseases and disorders, stroke, and disorders of human communication.

Among the disability areas covered by this institute are spinal cord injury, head trauma, Tourette's syndrome, convulsive and developmental disorders, and speech, hearing, and language disorders. Spinal cord regeneration and the use of electrical stimulation and computers to overcome paralysis are two areas of research mandated for this institute.