Serene Branson, a reporter for a CBS station in Los Angeles who was covering the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, displayed mysterious behavior on the air as she slurred her words and delivered most of her report in gibberish.

Branson's on-air episode quickly went viral on YouTube, spurring speculation that the two-time Emmy nominee might have suffered a stroke or other type of seizure while reporting live outside the Staples Center. After the incident, Branson's station reported that she had been "examined by paramedics at the scene immediately after the report, and her vital signs were normal. She wasn't hospitalized, and as a precautionary measure, a colleague gave her a ride home."

"This is what we call a classic neurological event. She was obviously aware she was having difficulty," said Dr. Keith Black, the director of the Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, on Tuesday's The Today Show. One possibility is that Branson suffered a TIA, a transient ischemic attack, or a temporary stroke. "You get a blockage in blood flow going to the brain," Black said. The event could also be due to a "mini seizure located in the language area … caused by almost anything that can affect the brain, from a brain tumor to infection."

While NBC's chief medical editor, Dr. Nancy L. Snyderman, suggests that Branson should "have a long-term relationship with a neurologist," the reporter is currently doing fine, and hopes to be back on the air very soon. —KIMBERLY STEELE

Watch the coverage here:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Leave a comment

Read more about: