'Mind-Reading' AI Turns Thoughts Into Spoken Words

TUESDAY, Jan. 29, 2019 -- In a breakthrough straight out of the world of science fiction, a team of researchers has used artificial intelligence (AI) to turn brain signals into computer-generated speech.

The feat was accomplished with the assistance of five epilepsy patients. All had been outfitted with various types of brain electrodes as part of their seizure treatment. This allowed the researchers to conduct very sensitive brain monitoring, called electrocorticography.

You've Fainted. How Long Do You Need to Stay in the ER?

THURSDAY, Jan. 31, 2019 -- How long patients who faint should be monitored in the emergency department hinges on their risk for serious disease, a new study says.

In most cases, fainting is harmless. But some people faint due to serious medical conditions, including an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). Because arrhythmias can come and go, patients are sometimes kept in the emergency department (ED) for eight to 10 hours.

Joking Through Brain Surgery? Seriously?

MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 -- Brain surgery's pretty serious, but someday patients may laugh their way through it.

A young woman with epilepsy who was undergoing surgery at Emory University in Atlanta did just that, even cracking jokes during her procedure, according to a new study.

Migraine's 'Silver Lining': Lowered Risk for Diabetes?

MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 -- A study of more than 74,000 French women has turned up an unexpected finding: Those who suffer from migraines have a significantly lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

The finding is based on surveys sent to thousands of women born between 1925 and 1950. The study found that -- after adjusting for body weight and other health factors -- women who said they had migraines had a 30 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, the leading form of the blood sugar disease.

People With Movement Disorders May Become Immune to Botox Therapy

FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 -- Some people who receive botulinum toxin injections for disorders that cause muscle tightness and contractions develop resistance to the treatment, researchers say.

The new study included nearly 600 patients with dystonia or spasticity who had been receiving botulinum toxin type A (commonly known as "Botox") for about three to five years.