Biomarkers and Brain Mechanisms of Gulf War Illness
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a debilitating and unexplained disease that affects about one-quarter to one-third of about 700,0000 military Veterans who were deployed during the 1990-1991 Gulf War and who are believed to have been exposed to many different types of toxic fumes and chemicals in the war theater that made them ill. Affected Veterans have many symptoms, including headaches, widespread muscle and body pain, feel tired, have bowel problems, skin rashes and difficulty in concentrating or remembering things or recent events, a hard time sleeping, and often feel quite anxious. There is not currently a good way to diagnose GWI nor are there widely accepted treatments. One theory about what causes GWI is that exposure to toxins during the Gulf War caused an immune response in some Veterans. This immune response then led to normal body chemistry, especially in the brain, to malfunction. The result of the malfunctioning of the chemical reactions in the body or brain was that too much or too little of some chemicals was being produced, leading to the many symptoms of GWI. To test this theory, the researchers of this study propose to measure, using advanced brain scanning techniques, like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), the levels of the compounds that are believed to be abnormally increased or decreased in the brains of 20 patients with GWI. In addition, the researchers will use a needle to draw some spinal fluid that bathes the brain in which they will also measure the same or other chemical compounds that may be abnormal. For comparison, the same compounds will also be measured in the brain and spinal fluid of 20 Gulf War Veterans who did not contract the illness and will provide the normal ranges for all the chemicals. If it is confirmed that some or all of the compounds that will be measured are indeed abnormal, then researchers may be able to use such measurements to diagnose GWI more reliably. Also, by knowing which compounds are abnormal, the researchers may be able to determine the causes of the symptoms of GWI, which may enable the development of effective treatments. Therefore, if successfully completed, this research study will be highly significant in that it will represent a strong attempt to understand GWI and what causes it. Such knowledge is necessary to be able to develop a cure that would alleviate the suffering of many Veterans who served our country bravely.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 04, 2016
- Source ID
- W81XWH1510437
Entities
People
- Dikoma C. Shungu
Organizations
- United States Army
- Weill Cornell Medicine