Many soldiers who participated in the Gulf War returned with a syndrome of the same name, the origins of which were until today still unknown.
- As a reminder, the Gulf War took place in 1990 and 1991, when 42 countries formed a coalition to fight Iraq after then-President Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait.
- Some soldiers there returned with “Gulf War syndrome,” a chronic, debilitating, multisystem illness.
- More than 30 years later, research has found the origin of this disabling disease.
New research have just provided scientific evidence that validates the symptoms experienced by many Gulf War veterans for more than 30 years.
What is Gulf War Syndrome?
As a reminder, the Gulf War took place in 1990 and 1991, when 42 countries formed a coalition to fight Iraq after then-President Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait.
Some soldiers present on site returned with “a Gulf War syndrome”, a chronic, debilitating, multisystem disease.
Typically, Gulf War Syndrome presents with the following symptoms: chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, pain, inflammation, sleep disturbances, rashes, diarrhea, neurological disorders, cognitive problems, and breathing problems. However, not everyone with this condition has all of these symptoms, which can make diagnosis difficult.
Gulf War Syndrome: “A Crucial Dysfunction of Ion Channels”
For a long time, no one knew exactly what caused Gulf War Syndrome. But now Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, director of the National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Disease (NCNED) at Griffith University, has cracked the mystery.
“Our study reveals a crucial dysfunction of ion channels in veterans with Gulf War syndrome,” Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik said in a press release. “This discovery represents a significant advance in the understanding of this complex and disconcerting disease,” she adds.
Normally, ion channels serve as signaling molecules inside cells. They therefore play an important role in regulating essential functions such as muscle contraction, the nervous system, and hormone secretion.
Gulf War Syndrome: “Being believed means a lot to us”
“Being believed means a lot to us,” Gulf War veteran Ian Allwood said of the discovery.
“For veterans who are suffering, this is a first step in identifying a causal factor. This is groundbreaking research that we hope will pave the way for treatment of often debilitating symptoms,” he adds.
The study cited in this article is published in the journal Plos one.
