Winston Chiong, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Neurology
Executive Director, UCSF Bioethics
+1 415 502-7326
Fields of Interest: 

Winston Chiong is an Associate Professor in the UCSF Department of Neurology Memory and Aging Center and is the principal investigator of the UCSF Decision Lab. His clinical practice focuses on Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and other cognitive disorders of aging. His research has two main themes:

  1. the neural bases of decision-making in the aging brain, focusing on how brain systems involved in financial and medical decisions are influenced by health and disease; and
  2. the ethical​, policy​ and health equity implications of alterations to brain function, informed by the experiences of patients with brain diseases and those undergoing new brain-based therapies.

He is a member of the UCSF Department of Neurology Diversity Committee and the UCSF Medical Center Ethics Committee. Nationally, he serves on the Neuroethics Working Group of the National Institutes of Health BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Multi-Council Working Group and the American Academy of Neurology’s Ethics, Law and Humanities Committee.

His work is informed by his interdisciplinary training in clinical medicine, philosophy and cognitive neuroscience. He received his PhD degree in philosophy from New York University and his MD degree from UCSF. He completed an internship in internal medicine at Stanford University and a residency in neurology at UCSF. He then underwent postdoctoral research training in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging at UC Berkeley and clinical training in dementia at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center.

Publications: 

Patient experiences of resection versus responsive neurostimulation for drug-resistant epilepsy.

Epilepsy & behavior : E&B

Haeusermann T, Liu EY, Fong KC, Dohan D, Chiong W

Correction: Ethical considerations in rapid and novel treatments in psychiatry.

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

Haeusermann T, Chiong W

Care Ecosystem Collaborative Model and Health Care Costs in Medicare Beneficiaries With Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA internal medicine

Guterman EL, Kiekhofer RE, Wood AJ, Allen IE, Kahn JG, Dulaney S, Merrilees JJ, Lee K, Chiong W, Bonasera SJ, Braley TL, Hunt LJ, Harrison KL, Miller BL, Possin KL

Recommendations for promoting user agency in the design of speech neuroprostheses.

Frontiers in human neuroscience

Sankaran N, Moses D, Chiong W, Chang EF

Moral reasoning through the eyes of persons with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.

Frontiers in neurology

Antoniou R, Hausermann T, Sideman AB, Fong KC, Callahan P, Miller BL, Kramer JH, Chiong W, Rankin KP

Ethical considerations in rapid and novel treatments in psychiatry.

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

Haeusermann T, Chiong W

Contrasting two models of utilitarian reasoning.

Heliyon

Antoniou R, Romero-Kornblum H, Young JC, You M, Kramer JH, Rankin KP, Chiong W

Future directions in psychiatric neurosurgery: Proceedings of the 2022 American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery meeting on surgical neuromodulation for psychiatric disorders.

Brain stimulation

Hitti FL, Widge AS, Riva-Posse P, Malone DA, Okun MS, Shanechi MM, Foote KD, Lisanby SH, Ankudowich E, Chivukula S, Chang EF, Gunduz A, Hamani C, Feinsinger A, Kubu CS, Chiong W, Chandler JA, Carbunaru R, Cheeran B, Raike RS, Davis RA, Halpern CH, Vanegas-Arroyave N, Markovic D, Bick SK, McIntyre CC, Richardson RM, Dougherty DD, Kopell BH, Sweet JA, Goodman WK, Sheth SA, Pouratian N

"Out of the clear blue sky she tells me she loves me": Connection experiences between caregivers and people with dementia.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Sideman AB, Merrilees J, Dulaney S, Kiekhofer R, Braley T, Lee K, Chiong W, Miller B, Bonasera SJ, Possin KL

Effect of collaborative dementia care on potentially inappropriate medication use: Outcomes from the Care Ecosystem randomized clinical trial.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association

Liu AK, Possin KL, Cook KM, Lynch S, Dulaney S, Merrilees JJ, Braley T, Kiekhofer RE, Bonasera SJ, Allen IE, Chiong W, Clark AM, Feuer J, Ewalt J, Guterman EL, Gearhart R, Miller BL, Lee KP

Clinician preferences for neurotechnologies in pediatric drug resistant epilepsy: a discrete choice experiment.

Epilepsia

Apantaku GO, McDonald PJ, Aguiar M, Cabrera LY, Chiong W, Connolly MB, Hrincu V, Ibrahim GM, Kaal KJ, Lawson A, Naftel R, Racine E, Safari A, Harrison M, Illes J

Decisions With Patients and Families Regarding Aducanumab in Alzheimer Disease, With Recommendations for Consent: AAN Position Statement.

Neurology

Chiong W, Tolchin BD, Bonnie RJ, Busl K, Cruz-Flores S, Epstein LG, Greene EP, Illes J, Kirschen M, Larriviere DG, Mantri S, Rubin MA, Stern BJ, Taylor LP, Ethics, Law, and Humanities Committee (a joint committee of the AAN, ANA, and CNS)

Consent Issues in the Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke: AAN Position Statement.

Neurology

Sattin JA, Chiong W, Bonnie RJ, Kirschen MP, Russell JA, Ethics, Law, and Humanities Committee, a joint committee of the American Academy of Neurology, Ameri

Use of Telephone- and Internet-Based Support to Elicit and Address Financial Abuse and Mismanagement in Dementia: Experiences from the Care Ecosystem Study.

Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD

Manivannan M, Heunis J, Hooper SM, Bernstein Sideman A, Lui KP, Possin KL, Chiong W

Evidence for the Ethics of Incentivizing Clinical Trial Enrollment?

JAMA internal medicine

Ngo S, Kim AS, Chiong W

Supported Decision-Making for People with Dementia Should Focus on Their Values.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB

Jaworska A, Chiong W

Reduced utilitarian willingness to violate personal rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PloS one

Antoniou R, Romero-Kornblum H, Young JC, You M, Kramer JH, Chiong W

Corrigendum: Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank: Advances in Optogenetics, Ethical Issues Affecting DBS Research, Neuromodulatory Approaches for Depression, Adaptive Neurostimulation, and Emerging DBS Technologies.

Frontiers in human neuroscience

Vedam-Mai V, Deisseroth K, Giordano J, Lazaro-Munoz G, Chiong W, Suthana N, Langevin JP, Gill J, Goodman W, Provenza NR, Halpern CH, Shivacharan RS, Cunningham TN, Sheth SA, Pouratian N, Scangos KW, Mayberg HS, Horn A, Johnson KA, Butson CR, Gilron R, de Hemptinne C, Wilt R, Yaroshinsky M, Little S, Starr P, Worrell G, Shirvalkar P, Chang E, Volkmann J, Muthuraman M, Groppa S, Kühn AA, Li L, Johnson M, Otto KJ, Raike R, Goetz S, Wu C, Silburn P, Cheeran B, Pathak YJ, Malekmohammadi M, Gunduz A, Wong JK, Cernera S, Hu W, Wagle Shukla A, Ramirez-Zamora A, Deeb W, Patterson A, Foote KD, Okun MS

Closed-Loop Neuromodulation and Self-Perception in Clinical Treatment of Refractory Epilepsy.

AJOB neuroscience

Haeusermann T, Lechner CR, Fong KC, Bernstein Sideman A, Jaworska A, Chiong W, Dohan D

Ethical Considerations in Dementia Diagnosis and Care: AAN Position Statement.

Neurology

Chiong W, Tsou AY, Simmons Z, Bonnie RJ, Russell JA, Ethics, Law, and Humanities Committee (a joint committee of the American Academy of Neurology, Ameri

Choice and Trade-offs: Parent Decision Making for Neurotechnologies for Pediatric Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.

Journal of child neurology

Hrincu V, McDonald PJ, Connolly MB, Harrison MJ, Ibrahim GM, Naftel RP, Chiong W, Alam A, Ribary U, Illes J

Wisdom and fluid intelligence are dissociable in healthy older adults.

International psychogeriatrics

Lindbergh CA, Romero-Kornblum H, Weiner-Light S, Young JC, Fonseca C, You M, Wolf A, Staffaroni AM, Daly R, Jeste DV, Kramer JH, Chiong W, Hillblom Aging Network

Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank: Advances in Optogenetics, Ethical Issues Affecting DBS Research, Neuromodulatory Approaches for Depression, Adaptive Neurostimulation, and Emerging DBS Technologies.

Frontiers in human neuroscience

Vedam-Mai V, Deisseroth K, Giordano J, Lazaro-Munoz G, Chiong W, Suthana N, Langevin JP, Gill J, Goodman W, Provenza NR, Halpern CH, Shivacharan RS, Cunningham TN, Sheth SA, Pouratian N, Scangos KW, Mayberg HS, Horn A, Johnson KA, Butson CR, Gilron R, de Hemptinne C, Wilt R, Yaroshinsky M, Little S, Starr P, Worrell G, Shirvalkar P, Chang E, Volkmann J, Muthuraman M, Groppa S, Kühn AA, Li L, Johnson M, Otto KJ, Raike R, Goetz S, Wu C, Silburn P, Cheeran B, Pathak YJ, Malekmohammadi M, Gunduz A, Wong JK, Cernera S, Wagle Shukla A, Ramirez-Zamora A, Deeb W, Patterson A, Foote KD, Okun MS

A Qualitative Analysis of Ethical Perspectives on Recruitment and Consent for Human Intracranial Electrophysiology Studies.

AJOB neuroscience

Mergenthaler JV, Chiong W, Dohan D, Feler J, Lechner CR, Starr PA, Arias JJ

Goals of Care Conversations and Subsequent Advance Care Planning Outcomes for People with Dementia.

Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD

Ma H, Kiekhofer RE, Hooper SM, Dulaney S, Possin KL, Chiong W

Novel Neurotechnological Interventions for Pediatric Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Physician Perspectives.

Journal of child neurology

McDonald PJ, Hrincu V, Connolly MB, Harrison MJ, Ibrahim GM, Naftel RP, Chiong W, Udwadia F, Illes J

Understanding Advance Directives as a Component of Advance Care Planning.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB

Fong KC, Chiong W

Caregiver "objective attitude" toward patients with neurodegenerative disease: Consequences for caregiver strain and relationship closeness.

Aging & mental health

Zahir A, Staffaroni AM, Wickham RE, Quinn CM, Sapozhnikova A, Seidman J, Chiong W

Using care navigation to address caregiver burden in dementia: A qualitative case study analysis.

Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)

Bernstein A, Merrilees J, Dulaney S, Harrison KL, Chiong W, Ong P, Heunis J, Choi J, Walker R, Feuer JE, Lee K, Dohan D, Bonasera SJ, Miller BL, Possin KL

Commentary 1: Researcher Integrity and Contrasting Obligations in Interdisciplinary Research.

Journal of empirical research on human research ethics : JERHRE

Chiong W, Haeusermann T

Effect of Collaborative Dementia Care via Telephone and Internet on Quality of Life, Caregiver Well-being, and Health Care Use: The Care Ecosystem Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA internal medicine

Possin KL, Merrilees JJ, Dulaney S, Bonasera SJ, Chiong W, Lee K, Hooper SM, Allen IE, Braley T, Bernstein A, Rosa TD, Harrison K, Begert-Hellings H, Kornak J, Kahn JG, Naasan G, Lanata S, Clark AM, Chodos A, Gearhart R, Ritchie C, Miller BL

Ethical Challenges of Risk, Informed Consent, and Posttrial Responsibilities in Human Research With Neural Devices: A Review.

JAMA neurology

Hendriks S, Grady C, Ramos KM, Chiong W, Fins JJ, Ford P, Goering S, Greely HT, Hutchison K, Kelly ML, Kim SYH, Klein E, Lisanby SH, Mayberg H, Maslen H, Miller FG, Rommelfanger K, Sheth SA, Wexler A

Amount and delay insensitivity during intertemporal choice in three neurodegenerative diseases reflects dorsomedial prefrontal atrophy.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior

Beagle AJ, Zahir A, Borzello M, Kayser AS, Hsu M, Miller BL, Kramer JH, Chiong W

Association Between Caregiver Depression and Emergency Department Use Among Patients With Dementia.

JAMA neurology

Guterman EL, Allen IE, Josephson SA, Merrilees JJ, Dulaney S, Chiong W, Lee K, Bonasera SJ, Miller BL, Possin KL

Proceedings of the Sixth Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank Modulation of Brain Networks and Application of Advanced Neuroimaging, Neurophysiology, and Optogenetics.

Frontiers in neuroscience

Ramirez-Zamora A, Giordano J, Boyden ES, Gradinaru V, Gunduz A, Starr PA, Sheth SA, McIntyre CC, Fox MD, Vitek J, Vedam-Mai V, Akbar U, Almeida L, Bronte-Stewart HM, Mayberg HS, Pouratian N, Gittis AH, Singer AC, Creed MC, Lazaro-Munoz G, Richardson M, Rossi MA, Cendejas-Zaragoza L, D'Haese PF, Chiong W, Gilron R, Chizeck H, Ko A, Baker KB, Wagenaar J, Harel N, Deeb W, Foote KD, Okun MS

Variations in Costs of a Collaborative Care Model for Dementia.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Rosa TD, Possin KL, Bernstein A, Merrilees J, Dulaney S, Matuoka J, Lee KP, Chiong W, Bonasera SJ, Harrison KL, Kahn JG

The costs of dementia subtypes to California Medicare fee-for-service, 2015.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association

Chen Y, Wilson L, Kornak J, Dudley RA, Merrilees J, Bonasera SJ, Byrne CM, Lee K, Chiong W, Miller BL, Possin KL

Individual differences in level of wisdom are associated with brain activation during a moral decision-making task.

Brain and behavior

Thomas ML, Martin AS, Eyler L, Lee EE, Macagno E, Devereaux M, Chiong W, Jeste DV

Dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) polymorphisms with reduced functional potency intensify atrophy in syndrome-specific sites of frontotemporal dementia.

NeuroImage. Clinical

Butler PM, Chiong W, Perry DC, Miller ZA, Gennatas ED, Brown JA, Pasquini L, Karydas A, Dokuru D, Coppola G, Sturm VE, Boxer AL, Gorno-Tempini ML, Rosen HJ, Kramer JH, Miller BL, Seeley WW

The NIH BRAIN Initiative: Integrating Neuroethics and Neuroscience.

Neuron

Ramos KM, Grady C, Greely HT, Chiong W, Eberwine J, Farahany NA, Johnson LSM, Hyman BT, Hyman SE, Rommelfanger KS, Serrano EE, Churchill JD, Gordon JA, Koroshetz WJ

Neurodegenerative disorders of the human frontal lobes.

Handbook of clinical neurology

Butler PM, Chiong W

The Role of Care Navigators Working with People with Dementia and Their Caregivers.

Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD

Bernstein A, Harrison KL, Dulaney S, Merrilees J, Bowhay A, Heunis J, Choi J, Feuer JE, Clark AM, Chiong W, Lee K, Braley TL, Bonasera SJ, Ritchie C, Dohan D, Miller BL, Possin KL

Neuroethics Guiding Principles for the NIH BRAIN Initiative.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience

Greely HT, Grady C, Ramos KM, Chiong W, Eberwine J, Farahany NA, Johnson LSM, Hyman BT, Hyman SE, Rommelfanger KS, Serrano EE

The Care Ecosystem: Promoting self-efficacy among dementia family caregivers.

Dementia (London, England)

Merrilees JJ, Bernstein A, Dulaney S, Heunis J, Walker R, Rah E, Choi J, Gawlas K, Carroll S, Ong P, Feuer J, Braley T, Clark AM, Lee K, Chiong W, Bonasera SJ, Miller BL, Possin KL

Head Positioning in Acute Stroke.

The New England journal of medicine

Feldman WB, Chiong W, Kim SYH

Development of an adaptive, personalized, and scalable dementia care program: Early findings from the Care Ecosystem.

PLoS medicine

Possin KL, Merrilees J, Bonasera SJ, Bernstein A, Chiong W, Lee K, Wilson L, Hooper SM, Dulaney S, Braley T, Laohavanich S, Feuer JE, Clark AM, Schaffer MW, Schenk AK, Heunis J, Ong P, Cook KM, Bowhay AD, Gearhart R, Chodos A, Naasan G, Bindman AB, Dohan D, Ritchie C, Miller BL

Distinct Subtypes of Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia Based on Patterns of Network Degeneration.

JAMA neurology

Ranasinghe KG, Rankin KP, Pressman PS, Perry DC, Lobach IV, Seeley WW, Coppola G, Karydas AM, Grinberg LT, Shany-Ur T, Lee SE, Rabinovici GD, Rosen HJ, Gorno-Tempini ML, Boxer AL, Miller ZA, Chiong W, DeMay M, Kramer JH, Possin KL, Sturm VE, Bettcher BM, Neylan M, Zackey DD, Nguyen LA, Ketelle R, Block N, Wu TQ, Dallich A, Russek N, Caplan A, Geschwind DH, Vossel KA, Miller BL

Effect of waivers of consent on recruitment in acute stroke trials: A systematic review.

Neurology

Feldman WB, Kim AS, Josephson SA, Lowenstein DH, Chiong W

Neuroeconomic dissociation of semantic dementia and behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia.

Brain : a journal of neurology

Chiong W, Wood KA, Beagle AJ, Hsu M, Kayser AS, Miller BL, Kramer JH

Inability to consent does not diminish the desirability of stroke thrombolysis.

Annals of neurology

Chiong W, Kim AS, Huang IA, Farahany NA, Josephson SA

Testing the presumption of consent to emergency treatment for acute ischemic stroke.

JAMA

Chiong W, Kim AS, Huang IA, Farahany NA, Josephson SA

The salience network causally influences default mode network activity during moral reasoning.

Brain : a journal of neurology

Chiong W, Wilson SM, D'Esposito M, Kayser AS, Grossman SN, Poorzand P, Seeley WW, Miller BL, Rankin KP

Financial errors in dementia: testing a neuroeconomic conceptual framework.

Neurocase

Chiong W, Hsu M, Wudka D, Miller BL, Rosen HJ

Equipoise and the dilemma of randomized clinical trials.

The New England journal of medicine

Chiong W

The real problem with equipoise.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB

Chiong W

Brain death without definitions.

The Hastings Center report

Chiong W

Industry-to-physician marketing and the cost of prescription drugs.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB

Chiong W

PHOG, a candidate gene for involvement in the short stature of Turner syndrome.

Human molecular genetics

Ellison JW, Wardak Z, Young MF, Gehron Robey P, Laig-Webster M, Chiong W