A Stroke at 30,000 Feet? For One Lucky Passenger, It Wasn't

A flight attendant on a recent commercial flight sent out the message: "Is there a doctor on board?"

An otherwise young, fit male passenger had suddenly lost the ability to move the muscles on the right side of his face, including the ability to close his right eye. He was drooling and had slurred speech.

Dr. Alan Hunter, who...

Could a Common Diuretic Med Help Ease Autism Symptoms?

A prescription drug that's long been used to treat the buildup of fluid in the body might do double duty as a means of easing autism symptoms in young children, new research shows.

If replicated in future trials, the drug treatment might be a breakthrough, since current treatments for autism in preschool kids are mainly behavioral -- t...

Losing Sense of Smell Can Worsen Life in Many Ways: Study

Could you imagine not being able to smell bacon frying, or freshly cut grass, or the presence of smoke?

People who lose their sense of smell face difficulties that can affect their daily lives and put their health and safety at risk, a new British study suggests.

It included 71 patients, ages 31 to 80, who lost their sense of...

Gene Test Might Spot Soccer Players at High Risk for Brain Trouble

A gene mutation implicated in the risk for Alzheimer's disease might also impair memory in soccer players who head the ball a lot, a new study suggests.

The finding could have implications for young athletes in contact sports where the head can take hits during play.

Among soccer players who headed the ball the most, those w...

Poverty Could Drive Up Youth Suicide Risk

New research shows that children and teens in U.S. areas with greater levels of poverty face a higher risk of suicide.

"Our findings suggest that community poverty is a serious risk factor for youth suicide, which should help target prevention efforts," said lead study author Dr. Jennifer Hoffmann. She is a pediatric emergency medicine...

At the Barbershop, a Trim -- and a Diabetes Screening

Hundreds of black men recently discovered they could get more than a trim at their local barbershops. They were offered diabetes testing, too.

A new study offered customers diabetes screenings at eight New York City barbershops. Among those who took the test, 10 percent learned they had average blood sugar levels that indicated type 2...