Boston University’s top research of 2017
In 2017, researchers at BU tackled everything from brain disease to back pain. These are the top 5 stories this year.
In reverse order, we give you the most groundbreaking research out of Boston University’s 17 schools and colleges this year.
5. Yoga as Good as PT for Chronic Low Back Pain
Yoga is as effective as physical therapy to treat mild to moderate chronic low back pain (cLBP), including among underserved patients with more severe functional disability and pain, according to a study co-authored by Janice Weinberg — a Boston University School of Public Health professor of biostatistics. Read more about yoga and back pain.
4. Move Over, Iron Man
Powered by a chunky robotic suit, Iron Man can leap from buildings and soar into space. The superhero’s gold and titanium getup might look great when taking down villains, but it’d be overkill for spending a morning with the grandkids. For people who are recovering from a stroke and want to get back to enjoying their favorite activities, there’s something better: a soft, lightweight, bionic walking aid that straps to the leg and can be worn anywhere. Read more about the medical exosuit BU researchers helped make.
3. Finding Lung Cancer in the Nose
Lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in the United States and in the world. Because lung cancer is so lethal, many current and former smokers undergo precautionary CT scans of the chest. These scans can detect small lesions in the lungs that may be an early sign of cancer, but false positives can lead to invasive and unnecessary lung biopsies. New BU research points to a better path to diagnosis: a genomic test that may eventually require only a simple nasal swab. Read more about Avrum Spira’s work on lung cancer.
2. Is Soda Bad for Your Brain? (And Is Diet Soda Worse?)
New BU research suggests that excess sugar — especially the fructose in sugary drinks — might damage your brain. Researchers using data from the Framingham Heart Study found that people who drink sugary beverages frequently are more likely to have poorer memory, smaller overall brain volume. But before you chuck your sweet tea and reach for a diet soda, there’s more: a follow-up study found that people who drank diet soda daily were almost three times as likely to develop stroke and dementia when compared to those who did not. Read more about soda’s impact on the brain.
1. CTE Found in 99 Percent of Former NFL Players Studied
A BU study suggests that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive, degenerative brain disease found in people with a history of repeated head trauma, may be more common among football players than previously thought. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found CTE in 99 percent of brains obtained from National Football League players, as well at 91 percent of college football players and 21 percent of high school football players. Read more about Dr. Ann McKee and her work on CTE.
