Stem Cell Research Hints at Evolution of Human Brain
Researchers at UCSF have succeeded in mapping the genetic signature of a unique group of stem cells in the human brain that seem to generate most of the neurons in our massive cerebral cortex.
University of California San Francisco
Give to UCSFResearchers at UCSF have succeeded in mapping the genetic signature of a unique group of stem cells in the human brain that seem to generate most of the neurons in our massive cerebral cortex.
Circuits in the brain that grow noisier over time may be responsible for ways in which we slow mentally as we grow old, according to new studies from UCSF.
Rapid next-generation genomic sequencing helped identify a mysterious brain-eating amoeba that killed a patient, and a new UCSF center aims to make this test an affordable and available tool for more hospitals.
Genetic vulnerabilities associated with childhood cancers may make children undergoing radiation therapy more susceptible than adults to secondary cancers, according to novel insights from researchers at UCSF.
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco has opened the third Pitt Hopkins Syndrome clinic in the world to help patients with this rare genetic condition.
Multiple System Atrophy, a neurodegenerative disorder with similarities to Parkinson’s disease, is caused by a newly discovered type of prion, according to two new research papers led by scientists at UCSF.
A new study from the UCSF Pediatric Brain Center shows that childhood cancer survivors suffering one stroke have double the risk of suffering a second stroke, when compared with non-cancer stroke survivors.
Ion channel blockers, commonly used to treat cardiac, neurological and psychiatric disorders, might prove useful in cancer therapy, according to research findings in fruit flies and mice by UCSF scientists.
Researchers at UCSF have discovered a neurological mechanism that could explain how songbirds refine and alter their songs, a finding that could have long-term implications for treating neurological conditions.
Medications commonly used to treat dementia could result in harmful weight loss, and clinicians need to account for this risk when prescribing these drugs to older adults, a new UCSF study says.
Older adults with dementia who live at home are at high risk of having pain, according to UC San Francisco researchers, and creative interventions and programs such as home-based palliative care are needed to manage their pain adequately.
A blood-borne molecule that increases in abundance as we age blocks regeneration of brain cells and promotes cognitive decline, suggests a new study.
Edward F. Chang, a UCSF physician-scientist whose seminal research has provided deep insights into how speech and language are processed in the human brain, has been named the 2015 Blavatnik Laureate in the Life Sciences.
Think the nest of cables under your desk is bad? Try keeping the trillions of connections crisscrossing your brain organized and free of tangles. A new UCSF study reveals this seemingly intractable job may be simpler than it appears.
Adult neural stem cells, which are commonly thought of as having the ability to develop into many type of brain cells, are in reality pre-programmed before birth to make very specific types of neurons.
Preschoolers with oppositional defiant behavior are more likely to have shorter telomeres, a hallmark of cellular aging, which in adults is associated with increased risk for chronic diseases and conditions like diabetes, obesity and cancer.
Women under chronic stress have significantly lower levels of klotho, a hormone that regulates aging and enhances cognition, researchers at UC San Francisco have found.
A team of scientists has shown that using just three molecular markers will help clinicians classify gliomas – the most common type of malignant brain tumors – more accurately than current methods.
Patients with epilepsy have significantly weaker connections throughout their brain, particularly in regions important for attention and cognition, compared to individuals without epilepsy.
Brains age, just like the rest of the body, even for those don't get neurological disease, according to an Institute of Medicine report released on April 14. While aging does more damage to some than others, most people can take steps to improve their health.
UCSF scientists have discovered a possible mechanism for how deep-brain stimulation, a widely used treatment for movement disorders, exerts its therapeutic effects.
A research team at UC San Francisco has discovered an RNA molecule called Pnky that can be manipulated to increase the production of neurons from neural stem cells.
A new study finds that the majority of those who seek treatment for Tourette syndrome will also be diagnosed with a second psychiatric disorder during their lifetimes, and often these disorders emerge earlier than in the general population
UCSF researchers have provided new evidence that abnormal rhythmic activity in particular brain cells contributes to problems with learning, attention, and decision-making in individuals with schizophrenia.
Using techniques developed only over the past few years, UCSF researchers have completed experiments that overturn the scientific consensus on how the brain’s “hunger circuit” governs eating.
A miniscule cluster of estrogen-producing nerve cells in the mouse brain exerts highly specific effects on aggressive behavior in both males and females.
Researchers at UCSF have identified the chemical that signals to roundworms when they are hungry, the same chemical implicated in several neurodegenerative disorders. The finding may provide useful clues for understanding and treating these disorders.
A study tracking more than 100,000 infants has shown that newborns with jaundice that are otherwise healthy are highly unlikely to develop a severe and potentially deadly form of cerebral palsy.
UCSF Magazine explores how scientists are uncovering surprising new tools – young blood and video games – to rejuvenate the brain.
With advances in technology and better understanding of people, the health sciences are constantly pushing toward more effective treatments and cures. The question is, where will we see the next breakthroughs in 2015?