Most Popular Science Stories of 2018
From sensory processing disorder to how CRISPR is being explored to bring new treatments to patients, these are the stories that most engaged our readers in 2018.
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Depression, Anxiety May Take Same Toll on Health as Smoking and Obesity
Anxiety and depression may be leading predictors of conditions ranging from heart disease to headaches, having similar effects as long-established risk factors like smoking and obesity.
Brain Stimulation Relieves Depression Symptoms
Patients with moderate to severe depression reported significant improvements in mood when researchers precisely stimulated a brain region called the orbitofrontal cortex.
Dementia Study First in a Series on Health Needs and Challenges of LGBTQ Seniors
Nearly 25 percent of the LGBT adults aged 50 and older in a new study had subjective cognitive decline, a potential indicator of a future Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
UCSF-led Consortium to Receive $3.45 Million from NFL to Study Traumatic Brain Injury
The NFL has awarded more than $3.45 million to a UCSF-led research consortium tasked with identifying the causes, risk factors, biomarkers and prognoses for patients with TBI.
Saving Limbs and Toes From the Grip of Diabetes With Clinic’s New Approach
The loss of a toe or limb to diabetes is more common than many people realize – and it’s a tragic outcome that UCSF’s Limb Preservation and Diabetic Foot Center is working to prevent.
Treating Brain Cancer with Radiation May No Longer Imperil Cognition
Using a mouse model, researchers showed that a drug that temporarily suppresses a key component of the brain’s immune system can prevent radiation-associated cognitive decline.
Alzheimer’s and Cardiovascular Disease Share Common Genetics in Some Patients
Genetics may predispose some people to both Alzheimer’s disease and high levels of blood lipids such as cholesterol, a common feature of cardiovascular disease.
Community Choirs Reduce Loneliness and Increase Interest in Life for Older Adults
An innovative San Francisco program of community choirs for older adults found that singing in a choir reduced loneliness and increased interest in life, but did not improve cognition or physical function.
Brain Signature of Depressed Mood Unveiled in New Study
New research from UCSF has identified a common pattern of brain activity that may be behind feelings of low mood, particularly in people who have a tendency towards anxiety.
Gene Plays Critical Role in Noise-Induced Deafness
UCSF researchers discovered a gene that plays an essential role in noise-induced deafness.
With Dangers of Everyday Concussions Revealed, Scientists Race to Find Solutions
UCSF scientists are working to understand how concussions cause long-term cognitive damage – and how they might be treated.
4 UCSF Faculty Elected to the National Academy of Medicine for 2018
The UCSF faculty members are among the 75 new members and 10 international members elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.
