Off Balance: National Institute of Mental Health Funding Priorities in 2012 and 2020.

Project abstracts of about 20% of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded studies in 2012 and 2020 were analyzed to determine the proportion of funding directed toward brain, genetic, animal, human, and physiological studies. Physiological, brain, and genetic studies constituted almost three-quarters of funded studies. Funding for those increased between 2012 and 2020. Human studies were funded at a slightly higher rate than animal studies, a trend that increased in 2020. While neuroscience holds a promise for understanding the biological underpinnings of mental illness, there is a growing urgency to diversify research investments to studies that emphasize person-centered approaches, consider environmental factors and social determinants of health, and reap more immediate real-world benefits. Stakeholders should advocate for policies that mitigate those impacts and improve the likelihood of NIMH and other grantors funding clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]