Connect with us

Health

Man paralyzed in diving mishap has medical miracle a year after AI-powered brain implant

Published

on

Man paralyzed in diving mishap has medical miracle a year after AI-powered brain implant

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Having trouble? Click here.

A New York man who was left paralyzed after a diving accident is starting to regain movement a year after receiving an artificial intelligence-powered implant in his brain.

A year ago, Keith Thomas, 46, was only able to move his arms an inch. Today, after the groundbreaking procedure, he is able to extend his arm, grasp a cup and take a drink using only his thoughts and stimulation. 

Advertisement

He has also regained more sensation in his wrist and arm, allowing him to feel the fur of his family’s dog.

JOHNNY DEPP VISITS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL DRESSED AS CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW IN ‘MAGICAL MOMENT’

In 2020, Thomas was living on Long Island and working as a trader on Wall Street when he experienced a diving accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.

“I dove into a swimming pool at a friend’s house between the shallow and deep end,” he told Fox News Digital. “I hit the bottom and broke my neck. I blacked out, and I couldn’t move.”

Keith Thomas, right, who was left paralyzed after a diving accident, is starting to regain movement a year after receiving an AI-powered implant in his brain. Thomas is also pictured left, front, with his care team.  (Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health)

Advertisement

Thomas recalls getting loaded into a helicopter that took him to the hospital for the start of his long recovery. 

“It was during COVID, so it was extremely difficult and isolating.”

A ‘groundbreaking’ procedure

A year ago, Thomas could only move his arms an inch. But in 2023, he underwent a grueling 15-hour surgery, during which the first AI-powered double neural bypass implant was placed in his brain at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health in New York.

“This groundbreaking clinical trial marks the first time the brain, body and spinal cord have been electronically linked in a paralyzed human to restore lasting movement and sensation,” Chad Bouton, the study’s principal investigator and professor in the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine at The Feinstein Institutes, told Fox News Digital.

Advertisement

AI FAST-TRACKS DEMENTIA DIAGNOSES BY TAPPING INTO ‘HIDDEN INFORMATION’ IN BRAIN WAVES

The surgical team, led by neurosurgeon Dr. Ashesh Mehta at Northwell Health, implanted five microchips in Thomas’ brain — two in the region responsible for movement and three that control the sensation of touch.

“These microchips connect to two ports implanted in his skull, which are linked to a powerful computer running custom AI that we developed to read Keith’s brainwaves and determine when he wants to move his hand,” Bouton said.

Thomas, who lives with paralysis, poses with the research team at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research — which worked with him for months to restore lasting movement and feeling in his arm and hand. (Northwell Health’s The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research)

Based on thoughts, the device – called a “double neural bypass” – reroutes signals around his injury between his brain and body, the doctor detailed. 

Advertisement

“The double neural bypass technology also stimulates his muscles, brain and spinal cord, all based on his brain patterns, and promotes lasting recovery of movement and sensation.”

“Keith’s brain, body and spinal cord are re-learning how to work together once again.”

The surgery required Thomas to be awake at one point to ensure the precise placement of the microchips in his brain. 

“It was a little fuzzy, but I remember hearing someone ask me if I felt something, and I felt a tingle in certain part of my hand,” Thomas recalled.

Three major milestones

After the surgery, he’s regularly returned to the lab at Feinstein Institutes, where the team is monitoring his progress and conducting a clinical trial of the results.

Advertisement

“Once I was out of surgery and saw the improvements during lab sessions, it was incredible,” he said. “I was speechless.”

Thomas had five tiny microchips implanted in his brain, forming a critical portion of a first-of-its-kind “double neural bypass.” The technology uses artificial intelligence to decode and translate his thoughts into action. (Northwell Health’s The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research)

Thomas has reached three major milestones, exceeding the team’s expectations. 

“First, only a few months after surgery, Keith felt the touch of his sister’s hand for the first time in three years since his accident,” Bouton said. “There was not a dry eye in the lab at that moment.”

Second, Thomas doubled his arm strength over the course of the study, which is not usually possible three years after a major spinal cord injury, the doctor said.

Advertisement

SPINAL CORD TREATMENT RESTORES FUNCTION FOR PARALYZED PATIENTS IN STUDY: ‘NEW HOPE’

“Lastly, with his regained arm strength and sensation, Keith was recently able to feel and lift a cup of tea to his mouth, and take a drink, without any help and using his thoughts alone,” Bouton shared.

“This was an amazing moment and what we’ve been working for during these past few years.”

Keith Thomas is able to feel his sister hold his hand for the first time since a diving accident in 2020 left him paralyzed from the chest down. (Northwell Health’s The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research)

Thomas has also regained sensation in areas that are below his injury level, such as his wrist, even outside the lab.

Advertisement

“This suggests that Keith’s brain, body and spinal cord are re-learning how to work together once again, and some connections are being strengthened,” Bouton said.

      

Thomas described his own progress as “mind-boggling.”

“Every day, I feel like we are accomplishing more and more.”

Looking ahead

The goal is for Thomas to continue to gain more movement and sensation outside the lab, and he hopes to one day drive his own motorized wheelchair without assistance.

Advertisement

After joining a clinical trial at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research that uses brain implants and artificial intelligence to reconnect his brain with healthy parts of his spinal cord, Thomas has continuously improved, restoring movement and feeling in his arm and hand. (Northwell Health’s The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research)

Added Thomas, “I want to continue making progress to live a more independent life – and if I can inspire others to sign up for a clinical trial or help someone else through this trial, that’s all I want.”

Bouton said he and the team are “optimistic” that Thomas will continue to improve over time as he uses the double neural bypass technology. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“We are continuing to monitor his progress in terms of sensation and movement recovery,” he said. “Our team has also received approval to expand our clinical trial, and we are actively seeking new participants.”

Advertisement

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s Prof. Bouton (left) and Dr. Ashesh Mehta led teams of doctors and scientists to implant brain electrodes, which restored lasting movement and sensation in a man living with paralysis. (Northwell Health’s The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research)

Bouton said he believes that AI has significant potential to improve outcomes for paralyzed patients.

“AI is already changing how medicine is being practiced today, but we believe our work in combining AI with brain-computer interface technology will revolutionize the treatment of paralysis and many other conditions in the future,” he said.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

“Our goal is to one day utilize this technology to empower individuals with paralysis to regain more function and live more independent lives.”

Advertisement

Health

Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

Published

on

Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.

In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.

“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.

ONE WALKING HABIT COULD SIGNAL A HEALTHIER BRAIN AFTER 80, SCIENTISTS SAY

Advertisement

The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.

“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.

Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)

John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.

After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”

Advertisement

WOMAN WITH ADVANCED ALZHEIMER’S REGAINED SPEECH AND MEMORIES AFTER TAKING MAGIC MUSHROOMS

At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.

An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.

John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)

“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”

Advertisement

Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.

“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”

It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.

“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Advertisement

Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)

Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.

The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”

Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.

Advertisement

“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.

Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)

“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”

Advertisement

Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.

Continue Reading

Health

One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

Published

on

One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.

That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.

Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.

COMMON VITAMIN MAY INFLUENCE BRAIN AGING IN WAYS SCIENTISTS DIDN’T EXPECT

Advertisement

The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.

The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.

Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)

“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”

‘LONGEVITY GENE’ MAY PROTECT THE BRAIN FROM ALZHEIMER’S BY BOOSTING DNA REPAIR, STUDY FINDS

Advertisement

The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.

In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”

As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.

Advertisement

Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)

“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”

Advertisement

“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”

Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.

Advertisement

Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.

Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)

This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.

Advertisement

“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”

Continue Reading

Health

I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take

Published

on

I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take


Advertisement





I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe: Does It Really Work?




















Advertisement





Advertisement


Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.


Use escape to exit the menu.

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending