RICHARDSON, Texas (Sept. 27, 2002) - Three well-known Texas philanthropic foundations have awarded substantial grants to support the pioneering research and treatment of brain injuries and diseases being conducted at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).

The Center for BrainHealth this month received a $150,000 grant from the Meadows Foundation of Dallas to enable the center to create innovative programs to combat mental decline from all types of brain maladies from childhood to late life, including stroke, depression, brain tumors, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, autism and injuries, among others.

Another grant for $20,000 was received this month from the Harold Simmons Foundation of Dallas to bring language therapy and brain health services to South Dallas neighborhoods. Last month, the center was awarded $75,000 by the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health of Austin to support an initiative to provide diagnostic and intervention services to brain-injured, low-income children from South and West Dallas.

"We deeply appreciate the financial support of these and other visionary philanthropic organizations," said Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, director of the Center for BrainHealth. "This funding will permit the center to both continue and expand its innovative clinical programs and cutting-edge research and treatment focused on promoting and prolonging brain health throughout the life span across a broad spectrum of diseases, injuries and normal aging."

Contributions from philanthropic organizations are an important part of the overall funding of the center and its operations. Earlier this year, the organization also received grants from the Communities Foundation of Texas and the Eugene McDermott Foundation, both of Dallas.

"The increased support for our work among community and charitable organizations is due in part, I believe, to the growing recognition that brain health is one of the most critical public health issues we face today," said Chapman. "As our population ages, the demand for information and services that help us achieve and maintain healthy brain function will rise dramatically."

About the Center for BrainHealth

The Center for BrainHealth - part of UTD's School of Human Development - is located on Inwood Road in Dallas, adjacent to major medical facilities such as The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, St. Paul Hospital and Parkland Hospital. The center integrates research, treatment, academic training and community outreach. Through this innovative approach, the center is discovering commonalities across brain maladies that are yielding similarities in brain repair mechanisms resulting in new treatments for improving life for patients with brain injuries and diseases. One of the center's top priorities is achieving healthy mental aging by translating scientific findings into treatment. For more information about the Center for BrainHealth and its work, please visit the organization's web site at http://www.utdallas.edu/~schapman/.

About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 13,000 students. The school's freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university's Web site at http://www.utdallas.edu.