Syncope is a loss of consciousness that happens due to a decrease in blood flow to your brain. It is more commonly known as fainting, and can happen for many different reasons.

Syncope is most common in the young and the old, with an incidence peak at around 15 years of age, particularly in women; subsequently, there is a progressive increase in frequency over the age of ...

CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook, who also joined to discuss, explained that "syncope" means blacking out, "vaso" means blood vessel and "vagal" refers to the vagus nerve.

What is vasovagal syncope? Also known as the "common faint," vasovagal syncope (pronounced vay-zoh-Vay-gul Sing-kuh-pee) results from an abnormal circulatory reflex and could be caused by a number ...