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How does your brain decide whether to hit “send” on a risky email or delete the draft? Two neighboring parts of it argue with each other until one overrules the other. Researchers created a video game to see what players’ brains were doing while making risk-reward decisions.
A UCSF psychiatrist explains what’s really going on with chatbots and mental health.
“The cognition crisis is not just a clinical problem. It’s a problem for our species.” UCSF scientists on what screens are doing to our minds — and how to get your focus back.
A UCSF-developed program that integrates behavioral health support for children and caregivers into routine pediatric care is poised to extend across California with a $17 million investment from the
Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, discusses the health dangers of excessive social media use on the health of children, in response to an August 2026 announcement of a $17.1 billion settlement regarding children and teen addiction to their platform.
UCSF is launching a national Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders that provides training and resources to providers, supported by a five-year grant from SAMHSA.
UCSF Medical Center ties as No. 1 hospital in California and ranks best in the state for cancer, geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonology, rheumatology, and urology, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Alcohol use disorder is a major cause of disease and premature death worldwide. For people with chronic liver disease (CLD), there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. Yet many patients with this
UCSF expert Kristine Yaffe, MD, explores how targeting modifiable risk factors—like sleep and exercise—can actively protect your aging brain.
A large team of scientists, found that a single dose of psilocybin created positive changes in the brain and well-being, one hour and one month after administration.
UCSF research shows psychedelics like psilocybin may treat depression, Parkinson’s, and addiction, offering new hope in clinical trials.
New research pits psychedelic-assisted therapy against traditional antidepressants in an unblinded study that presents a sobering viewpoint on the treatment's potential.
UCSF researcher Daniel Mathalon, MD, PhD, believes that burgeoning knowledge about biomarkers — biological measures of a medical condition that also serve as markers of treatment effectiveness — could help intercept schizophrenia.
New UCSF research reveals that Child-Parent Psychotherapy repairs a biological process that could benefit kids for life.
UCSF psychiatrists may have documented what is likely the first case of AI psychosis in a peer-reviewed journal. He tells us what to know as media reports about cases mount.
UCSF researchers found evidence that stress occurring as early as before birth or as late as adolescence can affect multiple conditions in kids, from asthma to mental health to cognitive functioning.
New research shows a jump in pediatric medical spending on behavioral health from 2011 to 2022, highlighting the urgent need to boost access and capacity for treatment.
Generalized anxiety disorder affects 1 in 20 U.S. adults. Those with serious symptoms may isolate themselves to the point that they rarely leave their home.
A TED Talk-style presentation on the effects of tangled DNA strands took first place at this year's Postdoc Slam competition, which is held in celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week.
UCSF’s Joseph Pierre, MD, unveils why even bright minds embrace false information. His new book, "False," dissects cognitive biases and our digital world’s role, offering a powerful three-step approach to navigate the post-truth era and rediscover common ground.
UCSF Medical Center has been ranked among the country’s best hospitals in adult care in U.S. News & World Report’s prestigious Best Hospitals survey.
A study showed that daily "micro-acts" promote wellbeing and health. These include acts of kindness, self-reflection, gratitude, positive reframing, and experiencing awe.
Researchers found that as preteens used more social media, their depressive symptoms increased. Yet the reverse wasn’t true — a rise in depressive symptoms didn’t predict a later increase in social media use.
A first-of-its-kind study tested the safety of psilocybin on patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease and found that patients experienced clinically significant improvements in mood, cognition, and motor function that lasted for weeks after the drug was out of their systems.
Martin Kampmann, PhD, and Anna Victoria Molofsky, MD, PhD, are the 2025 recipients of the Bowes Biomedical Investigator award, which supports scientists who take novel approaches and have the potential to make significant contributions to biomedicine. Recipients receive $1.25 million over five years.
As little as five minutes of mindfulness meditation a day may help reduce work-related stress, even when done through self-guided smartphone apps.
