California Awards $68 Million to Fight Neuropsychiatric Disorders Including Autism, Intellectual Disability, Schizophrenia
Inquiry into diet and autism rejected for the time being
The California stem cell agency approved $68 million today for neuropsychiatric research, including a $17 million effort to determine how air pollution contributes to autism and intellectual disability.
Rejected, however, was a proposal that was aimed at determining whether diet could be used to combat autism and schizophrenia.
In a closed door meeting prior to today’s online public session, the agency’s application reviewers nixed by one vote the dietary proposal from five University of California (UC) scientists. They were unsuccessful today in persuading CIRM board members to override the decision by the anonymous scientific reviewers.
Today’s awards were the first in a novel, $80 million awards program designed to “create a better scientific understanding” of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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