To designate the decade beginning January 1, 1990, as the "Decade of the Brain".
PL 101-58 (H.J.Res.174), enacted 07/25/1989

103 STAT. 152 
PUBLIC LAW 101-58—JULY 25, 1989 
Public Law 101-58 
101st Congress 
Joint Resolution 
July 25, 1989 
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fH T Rp—174-1 
^° designate the decade beginning January 1, 1990, as the "Decade of the Brain". 
Whereas it is estimated that fifty million Americans are affected 
each year by disorders and disabilities that involve the brain, 
including the major mental illnesses; inherited and degenerative 
diseases; stroke; epilepsy; addictive disorders; injury resulting 
from prenatal events, environmental neurotoxins and trauma; 
and speech, language, hearing and other cognitive disorders; 
Whereas it is estimated that treatment, rehabilitation and related 
costs of disorders and disabilities that affect the brain represents a 
total economic burden of $305,000,000,000 annually; 
Whereas the people of the Nation should be aware of the exciting 
research advances on the brain and of the availability of effective 
treatment of disorders and disabilities that affect the brain; 
Whereas a technological revolution occurring in the brain sciences, 
resulting in such procedures as positron emission tomography and 
magnetic resonance imaging, permits clinical researchers to ob-
serve the living brain noninvasively and in exquisite detail, to 
define brain systems that are implicated in specific disorders and 
disabilities, to study complex neuropeptides and behavior as well 
as to begin to learn about the complex structures underlying 
memory; 
Whereas scientific information on the brain is amassing at an 
enormous rate, and the field of computer and information sciences 
has reached a level of sophistication sufficient to handle neuro-
science data in a manner that would be maximally useful to both 
basic researchers and clinicians dealing with brain function and 
dysfunction; 
Whereas advances in mathematics, physics, computational science, 
and brain imaging technologies have made possible the initiation 
of significant work in imaging brain function and pathology, 
modeling neural networks and simulating their dynamic inter-
actions; 
Whereas comprehending the reality of the nervous system is still on 
the frontier of technological innovation requiring a comprehen-
sive effort to decipher how individual neurons, by their collective 
action, give rise to human intelligence; 
Whereas fundamental discoveries at the molecular and cellular 
levels of the organization of the brain are clarifying the role of the 
brain in translating neurophysiologic events into behavior, 
thought, and emotion; 
Whereas molecular biology and molecular genetics have yielded 
strategies effective in preventing several forms of severe mental 
retardation and are contributing to promising breakthroughs in 
the study of inheritable neurological disorders, such as Hunting-
ton's disease, and mental disorders, such as affective illnesses; 
Whereas the capacity to map the biochemical circuitry of 
neurotransmitters and neuromodulators will permit the rational 
PUBLIC LAW 101-58—JULY 25, 1989 
103 STAT. 153 
design of potent medications possessing minimal adverse effects 
that will act on the discrete neurochemical deficits associated with 
such disorders as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and Alz-
heimer's disease; 
Whereas the incidence of neurologic, psychiatric, psychological, and 
cognitive disorders and disabilities experienced by older persons 
will increase in the future as the number of older persons in-
creases; 
Whereas studies of the brain and central nervous system will 
contribute not only to the relief of neurologic, psychiatric, psycho-
logical, and cognitive disorders, but also to the management of 
fertility and infertility, cardiovascular disease, infectious and 
parasitic diseases, developmental disabilities and immunologic 
disorders, as well as to an understanding of behavioral factors 
that underlie the leading preventable causes of death in this 
Nation; 
Whereas the central nervous and immune systems are both signal-
ling systems which serve the entire organism, and there are direct 
connections between the nervous and immune systems, and 
whereas studies of the modulatory effects of each system on the 
other will enhance our understanding of diseases as diverse as the 
major psychiatric disorders, acquired immune deficiency syn-
drome, and autoimmune disorders; 
Whereas recent discoveries have led to fundamental insights as to 
why people abuse drugs, how abused drugs affect brain function 
leading to addiction, and how some of these drugs cause perma-
nent brain damage; 
Whereas studies of the brain will contribute to the development of 
new treatments that will curtail the craving for drugs, break the 
addictive effects of drugs, prevent the brain-mediated "high" 
caused by certain abused drugs, and lessen the damage done to 
the developing minds of babies, who are the innocent victims of 
drug abuse; 
Whereas treatment for persons with head injury, developmental 
disabilities, speech, hearing, and other cognitive functions is 
increasing in availability and effectiveness; 
Whereeis the study of the brain involves the multidisciplinary efforts 
of scientists from such diverse areas as physiology, biochemistry, 
psychology, psychiatry, molecular biology, anatomy, medicine, 
genetics, and many others working together toward the common 
goals of better understanding the structure of the brain and how 
it affects our development, health, and behavior; 
Whereas the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology has been 
awarded to fifteen neuroscientists within the past twenty-five 
years, an achievement that underscores the excitement and 
productivity of the study of the brain and central nervous system 
and its potential for contributing to the health of humanity; 
Whereas the people of the Nation should be concerned with research 
into disorders and disabilities that affect the brain, and should 
recognize prevention and treatment of such disorders and disabil-
ities as a health priority; and 
Whereas the declaration of the Decade of the Brain will focus 
needed government attention on research, treatment, and re-
habilitation in this area: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the decade 
beginning January 1, 1990, hereby is designated the "Decade of the 
103 STAT. 154 
PUBLIC LAW 101-58—JULY 25, 1989 
Brain", and the President of the United States is authorized and 
requested to issue a proclamation calling upon all public officials 
and the people of the United States to observe such decade with 
appropriate programs and activities. 
Approved July 25, 1989. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.J. Res. 174 (S.J. Res. 173): 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 135 (1989): 
June 29, considered and passed House. 
July 13, considered and passed Senate.