Brain Scans Link Nerve Anomalies To Gulf War Illness

[justrluk]

USA Today
March 21, 2013
Pg. 8

Brain Scans Link Nerve Anomalies To Gulf War Illness

Breakthrough study proves mysterious sickness that plagues more than 250,000 veterans isn't just psychological

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/20/research-ties-gulf-war-illness-to-brain-damage/1982817/

[Berta]

GEEEEEZ!!!! Thanks a lot for posting this justrluk !

I added something to my post this AM here under the Parasite topic (info from from MOPH Training Guide)

I added and it bears repeating:

'It is my personal opinion, after years as a vet's advocate, that ,just like with Vietnam, the list of diseases and conditions ,found presumptive to GWV,OIF,OEF,OND ,will continue to grow.

After all, it only took the VA 35 Years after the Vietnam War ended (May 1975) or them to SC IHD, Parkinsons and Hairy Cell B to Agent Orange.

35 YEARS

[justrluk]

At least someone finally took a scientifically-based approach to prove (or disprove) physical evidence of the issues for those suffering with these diseases. Who knows, if the disease manifests itself like Alzheimer's, the same treatments to slow the diseases might work as well. Although there's no cure, there might still be hope other than pain killers and psych meds.

[militarynurse]

Good post. I also saw that article. Question is: now that this medical study establishes that the Gulf War Illness is physiological and can be diagnosed using fMRI, what specifically is the causative agent? Is it vaccines, nerve agents, toxic fumes, virus / bacterial infection etc...what is causing this type of brain abnormality???

[Chuck75]

The question is how long will it take the VA to either recognize the results, ignore them, or try to refute them.

(Agent Orange debacle with a different name again?)

[justrluk]

Another question this raises is this: with this particular scan showing results, will those currently rated with GWS be tested and re-evaluated? If so, would a test like this be the only determining factor in either granting or denying GWS?

[sleeper692]

While this recent study connects GWI with definitive changes in the brain, so did the similar studies done by Dr. Haley at UT. Of course, as soon as a neurological connection was made by Dr. Haley the VA promptly cut off his funding. Dr. Haley has continued his research on his (and the universities) dime and has confirmed his results. He also released a study showing that the winds definitely brought low levels of chemical agents from bombed storage facilities right on top of coalition troops.

After 22 years, there will likely never be a definitive cause for GWI. It is of the general opinion of the researchers doing valid work that it GWI is likely a result of a variety of different exposures plus a genetic component that makes some of us susceptible.

While I agree that it would be nice if we could have solid answers as to what exactly caused this, I think it is more important now to find out how our bodies have been affected and finding effective treatments. Going backwards and spending limited research funding on speculative causes is money that could be better spent finding treatments to help us get some of our quality of life back and maybe keep us from keeling over dead.

There are some interesting research projects and proposals to be found at the CDRMP web site: http://cdmrp.army.mil/

In particular interest in the research proposed by Dr. Ronald Bach from the Minneapolis VAMC. He postulates that one of the results of GWI is systemic inflammation which would, if he is correct, explain a great many things. It would also dovetail into the theory by Dr. Golomb that the underlying mechanism to all the symptoms of GWI is oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage. It would make sense that damaged and adaptive mitotic cells would cause inflammation as they try to adapt or die.

If these two theories prove correct, proper dosing with CoQ10 and a daily aspirin could make a world of difference for ill GWV's.