Epidemiological and Clinical Evidence for Residual Organophoshate Neurotoxicity
Abstract
We seek evidence to support or refute the proposal that Gulf War veterans who served in the Kuwaiti Theater of Operations have nervous-system deficits consistent with prior exposure to organophosphorus chemicals (sarin and insecticides). Focus is placed on veterans present within a 50-km radius of Khamisiyah, Coalition-Occupied Iraq, who may have been exposed to low levels of sarin/cyclosarin during the first two weeks of March 1991. Veterans who participated in or who witnessed the demolition at Khamisiyah were more likely to report historical or extant symptoms when compared to veterans from other military units. These results should be viewed cautiously because they are based on symptoms recalled nine years after the event without precise characterization of exposure. Nonetheless, our findings suggest that symptoms consistent with low-level sarin exposure may have initially occurred, and health effects may have persisted, in veterans who were nearest to the demolition activity. Preliminary analyses of part of the electrophysiological data obtained from these symptomatic subjects reveal no evidence of extant damage or dysfunction of neural pathways with reported or known susceptibility to sarin or other organophosphates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADB264038
Entities
People
- Peter S Spencer
Organizations
- Oregon Health & Science University