Advisor(s)
Jarred Younger
Committee Member(s)
Adam Goodman
Maxine Krengel
Robert Sorge
Virendra Mishra
School
College of Arts and Sciences
Document Type
Dissertation
Department (new version)
Psychology
Date of Award
9-11-2025
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) affects approximately 30% of veterans who served in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and is characterized by chronic pain and fatigue, as well as cognitive, mood, gastrointestinal, and respiratory symptoms. Animal research has suggested that GWI is caused by a combination of neurotoxicants such as nerve gas, anti-nerve agent pills, and pesticides, though a definitive pathophysiological model has not been established. In this human observational study, 20 veterans with GWI and 20 healthy Gulf War veterans (HV) underwent whole-brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to non-invasively measure several metabolites associated with neuroinflammation. Whole blood was also collected in a subsample of the participants to investigate proinflammatory markers. Compared to HV, veterans with GWI demonstrated widespread decreases in brain choline, NAA, and creatine, and regional elevations in lactate and brain temperature. Those with GWI also had greater levels of leptin, lactate, and VEGF compared to HV. Exploratory analyses revealed brain metabolites were associated with self-reported neurotoxicant exposures in theater. These findings support a role of cholinergic alterations and possible neuroinflammatory processes in GWI.
ProQuest ID
Recommended Citation
Jones, Chloe Lisette, "Identifying The Neurobiological Substrates Of Gulf War Illness" (2025). All ETDs from UAB. 7345.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/7345
