On Jan. 30, as part of the National Coalition for Heart Disease and Stroke, AANS/CNS Washington Office staff participated in a meeting with National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) leaders regarding current research funding programs. NINDS director Walter Koroshetz, MD, informed the group that the institute received $2.8 billion in The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117–328). Funding continues to target several projects of interest to neurosurgery, including the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative.
Dr. Koroshetz indicated that there is also a strong focus on vascular health and disease. For example, StrokeNet began in 2013 and has 27 recognized regional coordinating centers nationwide, with more than 500 participating hospitals conducting clinical trials to address stroke prevention, treatment and recovery. Additionally, several vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) programs launched last year — including the Determinants of Incident Stroke Cognitive Outcomes and Vascular Effects on Recovery (DISCOVERY) program — which seek to understand different kinds of stroke.
Finally, the NINDS continues to implement its strategic plan. Four task forces are developing a roadmap of goals for the next four to five years.
