Health
Researchers find sources of four brain disorders, which could lead to new treatments
Researchers may have found a new way to target the sources of certain brain disorders.
In a study led by scientists at Mass General Brigham, deep brain stimulation (DBS) was able to pinpoint dysfunctions in the brain that are responsible for four cognitive disorders: Parkinson’s disease, dystonia (a muscle disorder condition that causes repetitive or twisting movements), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette’s syndrome.
The discovery, published in Nature Neuroscience on Feb. 22, could potentially help doctors determine new treatments for these disorders.
BOOST BRAIN HEALTH AND SLOW MENTAL AGING WITH 10 INTRIGUING TIPS FROM LONGEVITY EXPERTS
The study included 261 patients worldwide — 70 had dystonia, 127 were Parkinson’s disease patients, 50 had been diagnosed with OCD and 14 had Tourette’s syndrome.
The researchers implanted electrodes into the brains of each participant and used special software to determine which brain circuits were dysfunctional in each of the four disorders.
Deep brain stimulation has been used to pinpoint dysfunctions in the brain that are responsible for four cognitive disorders. (iStock)
“In simplified terms, when brain circuits become dysfunctional, they may act as brakes for the specific brain functions that the circuit usually carries out,” Andreas Horn, M.D., PhD, associate professor of neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said in a press release.
“Applying DBS may release the brake and may in part restore functionality.”
WORST FOODS AND DRINKS FOR BRAIN HEALTH, ACCORDING TO NUTRITION EXPERTS
Horn, one of the 39 researchers from 16 institutions who co-authored the study, went into more detail in a conversation with Fox News Digital.
“Based on the present findings, we can better understand why deep stimulation to a small subcortical structure in the brain has been helping patients with various disorders,” he said.
The researchers implanted electrodes into the brains of each participant (not pictured) and used special software to determine which brain circuits were dysfunctional in each of the four disorders. (iStock)
For each of the disorders, a different brain network was identified as “dysfunctional,” leading to the condition, the doctor said.
“Identifying these ‘malfunctioning networks’ may help us better understand the four disorders and better target neuromodulation to help patients by alleviating symptoms,” he noted.
IS PARKINSON’S DISEASE, ‘WORLD’S FASTEST GROWING BRAIN DISEASE,’ MOSTLY PREVENTABLE? STUDY OFFERS CLUES
In three cases, the researchers found that applying DBS led to “preliminary improved results.”
At Massachusetts General Hospital, one female patient in her early 20s was diagnosed with severe, treatment-resistant OCD.
After receiving electrode implantation and targeted stimulation, the researchers measured a “significant improvement” in her symptoms one month after treatment, according to the release.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder was one of the cognitive conditions targeted in the new study. (iStock)
Dr. Shannon Dean, a pediatric neurologist with the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Maryland, was not involved in the study but shared her reaction to the findings.
“This study is an elegant demonstration of how treatment-focused and basic mechanism-based research can help guide each other,” she told Fox News Digital.
“The authors used deep brain stimulation electrodes, which is an invasive surgical treatment for a variety of neurological disorders when medications alone are not enough,” Dean went on.
DEPRESSION COULD BE ‘ZAPPED’ AWAY WITH BRAIN STIMULATION, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS: ‘BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE’
“I was interested to see the researchers then used their findings to refine exactly how they were treating several patients — and saw their patients’ symptoms improve as a result,” she said.
Given the small number of participants, Dean stressed the need for caution in interpreting the results.
“What the authors found for those disorders will need to be replicated for us to be sure the conclusions are right,” she said.
“However, what they have found is exciting and makes sense based on what we already know about these disorders. This points us to where future studies should be looking.”
For each of the disorders, a different brain network was identified as “dysfunctional,” leading to the condition, a researcher said. (iStock)
“This research provides hope for people living with these diseases who are resistant to standard medical therapy,” she added.
Dr. Arif Dalvi, a neurologist on staff at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Florida, also commented on the study as an outside expert.
“Even though deep brain stimulation has been part of the standard of care for neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and tremors for decades, the technology continues to evolve,” he told Fox News Digital.
“This research provides hope for people living with these diseases who are resistant to standard medical therapy.”
“This analysis identified ‘sweet spots’ within these circuits that could significantly alleviate symptoms, demonstrating the efficacy of DBS in modulating neural activity.”
The findings highlight the need for personalized therapies, Dalvi noted.
“This emphasizes a need for neurologists to carefully evaluate each patient as a unique individual and tailor a specific treatment plan, rather than working off generic best practices or therapeutic guidelines,” he said.
Study was limited, researchers say
This research is seen as the first step in what will be a long process, Horn said.
“The study is based on retrospective data — main results should be confirmed by prospective trials, which represent the gold standard to accumulate evidence in science and medicine,” he told Fox News Digital.
Developing more sophisticated mapping techniques and understanding the long-term effects of deep brain stimulation will be crucial, a neurologist said. (iStock)
The study’s sample size was also relatively small, he said, especially for Tourette’s.
“Even globally, not many patients have undergone deep brain stimulation surgery for this disorder,” Horn said.
This study is the first step in defining what the researchers call the “human dysfunctome,” the set of connections that may become dysfunctional in specific neurological or psychiatric disorders of the human brain.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“We first paint a picture of the dysfunctome, but need additional data to complete the picture and map other symptoms onto the circuits of the human brain,” Horn said.
While the study findings might not lead to drastic changes just yet, Horn said they may help experienced clinicians fine-tune their approaches to neurology treatments.
The findings from this study point in the direction of more personalized cognitive therapies, experts said. (iStock)
“It could give additional clarity or small refinements here and there to make interventions more successful,” Horn said. “However, the information should not be followed blindly, but instead should be validated in prospective studies.”
The researchers are already starting to plan for clinical trials to validate the results.
As Dalvi pointed out, developing more sophisticated mapping techniques and understanding the long-term effects of deep brain stimulation will be crucial.
“Additionally, expanding this approach to other brain regions and disorders could uncover new therapeutic avenues, marking a new era in the treatment of neurological conditions,” he added.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
In a dramatic turn of events that’s captured the attention of animal lovers worldwide, Punch — the young macaque at a zoo in Japan famous for his inseparable bond with a stuffed orangutan toy — has reached a major milestone in his journey toward social integration.
On Thursday, visitors and staff at the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden witnessed a breakthrough: Punch was seen cuddling with and hitching a ride on the back of a fellow macaque.
Punch’s story began with hardship. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025 — and to ensure his survival, zookeepers stepped in to hand-rear the primate.
On Jan. 19, 2026, the zoo officially began the process of reintegrating Punch into the “monkey mountain” enclosure.
The transition was initially fraught with tension.
Punch’s story began with hardship when he was abandoned by his mother shortly after he was born. To help him, zookeepers gave him a stuffed toy that he began dragging around everywhere he went. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
As a hand-reared infant, Punch was bullied and ignored by the established group of monkeys.
He was often seen huddled alone with his orange plush companion while the rest of the troop interacted.
BABY MONKEY CARRIES FAITHFUL STUFFED COMPANION EVERYWHERE HE GOES, DRAWING CROWDS AT ZOO
In an official statement released Feb. 27, the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden detailed the meticulous care behind this process.
Previous viral videos showed Punch bullied by the rest of the troop, running to his plushy toy for comfort. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“From an animal welfare perspective, our primary goal is to reintegrate Punch with the troop,” the zoo said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
The strategy involved nursing Punch within the enclosure, so the troop could recognize him as one of their own, and pairing him with a gentle young female macaque prior to his full release to build his confidence.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The latest footage, captured by X user @tate_gf, suggested the zoo’s patience is paying off.
The video shows Punch seeking physical contact not from his toy, but from another monkey — eventually climbing onto its back for a vital social behavior for young macaques: the “piggyback ride.”
The zoo’s strategy appears to be paying off: Punch, shown at far left, was recently seen riding on the back of a fellow macaque. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
While Punch still carries his stuffed toy for comfort during moments of perceived danger, the zoo remains optimistic about his progress.
The organization cited the successful 2009 case of Otome, another hand-reared macaque who eventually outgrew her stuffed toy, successfully integrated — and went on to raise four offspring of her own.
The zoo has had crowds coming to see Punch, with hundreds of people lining up to get inside to see the young star, according to reports.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“I’m hoping Punch has a good life like everybody else does, and think he’s a cute little guy,” one person commented online.
“Such a precious baby,” another person wrote.
Related Article
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Artificial intelligence has been touted as a boon to healthcare, but a new study has revealed its potential shortcomings when it comes to giving medical advice.
In January, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, the medical-focused version of the popular chatbot tool.
The company introduced the tool as “a dedicated experience that securely brings your health information and ChatGPT’s intelligence together, to help you feel more informed, prepared and confident navigating your health.”
But researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that the tool failed to recommend emergency care for a “significant number” of serious medical cases.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine on Feb. 23, aimed to explore how ChatGPT Health — which is reported to have about 40 million users daily — handles situations where people are asking whether to seek emergency care.
Artificial intelligence has been touted as a boon to healthcare, but a new study has revealed its potential shortcomings when it comes to giving medical advice. (iStock)
“Right now, no independent body evaluates these products before they reach the public,” lead author Ashwin Ramaswamy, M.D., instructor of urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
“We wouldn’t accept that for a medication or a medical device, and we shouldn’t accept it for a product that tens of millions of people are using to make health decisions.”
Emergency scenarios
The team created 60 clinical scenarios across 21 medical specialties, ranging from minor conditions to true medical emergencies.
Three independent physicians then assigned an appropriate level of urgency for each case, based on published clinical practice guidelines in 56 medical societies.
WOMAN SAYS CHATGPT SAVED HER LIFE BY HELPING DETECT CANCER, WHICH DOCTORS MISSED
The researchers conducted 960 interactions with ChatGPT Health to see how the tool responded, taking into account gender, race, barriers to care and “social dynamics.”
While “clear-cut emergencies” — such as stroke or severe allergy — were generally handled well, the researchers found that the tool “under-triaged” many urgent medical issues.
The team created 60 clinical scenarios across 21 medical specialties, ranging from minor conditions to true medical emergencies. (iStock)
For example, in one asthma scenario, the system acknowledged that the patient was showing early signs of respiratory failure — but still recommended waiting instead of seeking emergency care.
“ChatGPT Health performs well in medium-severity cases, but fails at both ends of the spectrum — the cases where getting it right matters most,” Ramaswamy told Fox News Digital. “It under-triaged over half of genuine emergencies and over-triaged roughly two-thirds of mild cases that clinical guidelines say should be managed at home.”
PARENTS FILE LAWSUIT ALLEGING CHATGPT HELPED THEIR TEENAGE SON PLAN SUICIDE
Under-triage can be life-threatening, the doctor noted, while over-triage can overwhelm emergency departments and delay care for those in real need.
Researchers also identified inconsistencies in suicide risk alerts. In some cases, it directed users to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in lower-risk scenarios, and in others, it failed to offer that recommendation even when a person discussed suicidal ideations.
“ChatGPT Health performs well in medium-severity cases, but fails at both ends of the spectrum.”
“The suicide guardrail failure was the most alarming,” study co-author Girish N. Nadkarni, M.D., chief AI officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, told Fox News Digital.
ChatGPT Health is designed to show a crisis intervention banner when someone describes thoughts of self-harm, the researcher noted.
OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, the medical-focused version of the popular chatbot tool, in January 2026. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“We tested it with a 27-year-old patient who said he’d been thinking about taking a lot of pills,” Nadkarni said. “When he described his symptoms alone, the banner appeared 100% of the time. Then we added normal lab results — same patient, same words, same severity — and the banner vanished.”
“A safety feature that works perfectly in one context and completely fails in a nearly identical context … is a fundamental safety problem.”
CHATGPT HEALTH PROMISES PRIVACY FOR HEALTH CONVERSATIONS
The researchers were also surprised by the social influence aspect.
“When a family member in the scenario said ‘it’s nothing serious’ — which happens all the time in real life — the system became nearly 12 times more likely to downplay the patient’s symptoms,” Nadkarni said. “Everyone has a spouse or parent who tells them they’re overreacting. The AI shouldn’t be agreeing with them during a potential emergency.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Open AI, creator of ChatGPT, requesting comment.
Physicians react
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, called the new study “important.”
“It underlines the principle that while large language models can triage clear-cut emergencies, they have much more trouble with nuanced situations,” Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
ChatGPT and other LLMs can be helpful tools, a doctor said, but they “should not be used to give medical direction.” (iStock)
“This is where doctors and clinical judgment come in — knowing the nuances of a patient’s history and how they report symptoms and their approach to health.”
ChatGPT and other LLMs can be helpful tools, Siegel said, but they “should not be used to give medical direction.”
“Machine learning and continued input of data can help, but will never compensate for the essential problem – human judgment is needed to decide whether something is a true emergency or not.”
BREAKTHROUGH BLOOD TEST COULD SPOT DOZENS OF CANCERS BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR
Dr. Harvey Castro, an emergency physician and AI expert in Texas, echoed the importance of the study, calling it “exactly the kind of independent safety evaluation we need.”
“Innovation moves fast. Oversight has to move just as fast,” Castro, who also did not work on the study, told Fox News Digital. “In healthcare, the most dangerous mistakes happen at the extremes, when something looks mild but is actually catastrophic. That’s where clinical judgment matters most, and where AI must be stress-tested.”
Study limitations
The researchers acknowledged some potential limitations in the study design.
“We used physician-written clinical scenarios rather than real patient conversations, and we tested at a single point in time — these systems update frequently, so performance may change,” Ramaswamy told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Additionally, most of the missed emergencies happened in situations where the danger depended on how the condition was changing over time. It’s not clear whether the same problem would happen with acute medical emergencies.
Because the system had to choose just one fixed urgency category, the test may not reflect the more nuanced advice it might give in a back-and-forth conversation, the researchers noted.
ChatGPT Health is designed to show a crisis intervention banner when someone describes thoughts of self-harm. (iStock)
Also, the study wasn’t large enough to confidently detect small differences in how recommendations might vary by race or gender.
“We need continuous auditing, not one-time studies,” Castro noted. “These systems update frequently, so evaluation must be ongoing.”
‘Don’t wait’
The researchers emphasized the importance of seeking immediate care for serious issues.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“If something feels seriously wrong — chest pain, difficulty breathing, a severe allergic reaction, thoughts of self-harm — go to the emergency department or call 988,” Ramaswamy advised. “Don’t wait for an AI to tell you it’s OK.”
The researchers noted that they support the use of AI to improve healthcare access, and that they didn’t conduct the study to “tear down the technology.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“These tools can be genuinely useful for the right things — understanding a diagnosis you’ve already received, looking up what your medications do and their side effects, or getting answers to questions that didn’t get fully addressed in a short doctor’s visit,” Ramaswamy said.
“That’s a very different use case from deciding whether you need emergency care. Treat them as a complement to your doctor, not a replacement.”
“This study doesn’t mean we abandon AI in healthcare.”
Castro agreed that the benefits of AI health tools should be weighed against the risks.
“AI health tools can increase access, reduce unnecessary visits and empower patients with information,” he said. “They are not inherently unsafe, but they are not yet substitutes for clinical judgment.”
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“This study doesn’t mean we abandon AI in healthcare,” he went on. “It means we mature it. Independent testing and stronger guardrails will determine whether AI becomes a safety net or a liability.”
Related Article
Travis County DA faces renewed ‘soft on crime’ criticism after career criminal charged with murder
Alleged criminal history of missing mom found after 24 years catches up with her
Millionaire philanthropist allegedly gunned down by worker in female wig; ambushes Maryland trooper: police
War in the Middle East: Iran’s broad retaliation in the Gulf • FRANCE 24 English
Bruce Campbell announces cancer diagnosis; ‘Fear not,’ he tells fans
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
War in the Middle East: Iran’s broad retaliation in the Gulf • FRANCE 24 English
Trump sends official notification to Congress on strikes against Iran
Unexpected birth brings hope to near-extinct Amazon tribe
Supreme Court blocks redrawing of New York congressional map, dealing a win for GOP
Map: Earthquake Shakes Central California
-
World5 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts6 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Denver, CO6 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana1 week agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Oregon4 days ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling
-
Technology1 week agoArturia’s FX Collection 6 adds two new effects and a $99 intro version
-
News1 week agoVideo: How Lunar New Year Traditions Take Root Across America