Musical Improvisation in the Brain
Charles Limb, professor of otolaryngology at UCSF, has been fascinated for years by how artists produce unique, emotive, and coherent pieces of music with no sheet music or practice to guide them.
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FDA Approves Landmark Marijuana-Derived Drug First Tested at UCSF
For the first time, a drug derived from marijuana has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and it may soon offer relief to children with hard-to-treat seizures.
‘Music of Speech’ Linked to Brain Area Unique to Humans
Insights into pitch control could pave the way for advanced brain prosthetics that could allow people who can’t speak to express themselves in a naturalistic way.
Living With Sensory Processing Disorder
Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD, causes some children to find everyday stimuli excruciating. Scientists are finally shedding light on what causes the disorder and what can be done about it.
Electrically Stimulating the Brain May Restore Movement After Stroke
UCSF scientists have improved mobility in rats that had experienced debilitating strokes by using electrical stimulation to restore a distinctive pattern of brain cell activity associated with efficient movement.
Study Reveals Brain Activity Patterns Underlying Fluent Speech
The new research reveals that the brain’s speech centers are organized more according to the physical needs of the vocal tract as it produces speech than by how the speech sounds.
Deep Space Radiation Treatment Reboots Brain’s Immune System
UCSF neuroscientist identified the first potential treatment for the brain damage caused by exposure to cosmic rays.
Yanny Vs. Laurel: A Neuroscientist Weighs In
Matthew Leonard, who studies the neural basis of word representations, weighs in with a scientific perspective on the debate about “Laurel” versus “Yanny.”
Body’s 'Natural Opioids' Affect Brain Cells Much Differently than Morphine
Study led by UCSF scientists shows that brain cells react differently to opioid substances created inside the body than they do to purely synthetic opioid drugs.
UCSF Researcher Identifies Risk Genes for ALS
The largest analysis to date of genetic data in ALS has identified two previously unrecognized genetic risks that are significantly associated with the disease.
Memory-Enhancing Drug Acts as Molecular 'Staple'
UCSF researchers have shown that an experimental brain boosting drug, ISRIB, acts like a molecular staple, pinning together parts of a much larger protein involved in cellular stress.
Scientists Discover How Gene Mutation Reduces the Need for Sleep
A new study in mice reveals how a gene mutation seen in human short-sleepers may allow them to survive and thrive on just a few hours of sleep.
Birth of New Neurons in the Human Hippocampus Ends in Childhood
UCSF scientists have shown that in the human hippocampus neurogenesis declines throughout childhood and is undetectable in adults.
2017 NIH Funding: A Look at the Top-Funded Researchers and Their Work
UCSF received more than $593.9 million in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health in 2017 for research across multiple health-science arenas at the University.
Cognitive Benefits of 'Young Blood' Linked to Brain Protein in Mice
Loss of an enzyme that modifies gene activity to promote brain regeneration may be partly responsible for age-related cognitive decline, according to new research in laboratory mice by UCSF.
