Autonomic Dysfunction in Gulf War Veterans

Abstract

For military personnel, the sequellae of war include the immediate dangers of combat and the potential for long-term medical and psychological disability. Factors such as fatigue, hunger, lack of sleep, and exposure to weather extremes combine to present the soldier with cumulative physical stress, and with the physiological stress that is an unavoidable consequence of physical stress. The valid fear of dying or of being wounded and the emotional effects of seeing others injured or dead, combine with physical stressors to define the actualities of past and present day battlefield experience I 2345 for many men and women. Reports indicate that the overwhelming majority of soldiers experience fear during or before battle with physical symptoms that have been well-documented. Over time, prolonged exposure to such combined physical and psychological stressors can result in individual exhaustion and decreased combat effectiveness.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA405043

Entities

People

  • Antonio Sastre
  • Mary R. Cook

Organizations

  • MRIGlobal

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acetylcholinesterases
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Autonomic Nervous System
  • Blood
  • Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena
  • Databases
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Genetics
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Personnel
  • Nervous System
  • Pain
  • Persian Gulf Syndrome
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Gulf War Illness and Chronic Multisymptom Illness in Veterans.
  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.