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Gulf War Illness Link To Brain Damage
The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 8-4-2004 | Oliver Poole

Posted on 08/03/2004 6:09:07 PM PDT by blam

Gulf War illness link to brain damage

By Oliver Poole
(Filed: 04/08/2004)

A scientist whose findings have been supported by the American Joint Chiefs of Staff yesterday detailed how some Gulf War veterans complaining of post-conflict illnesses had been found to have brain damage.

Robert Haley, from the University of Texas, told the independent Gulf War Illnesses inquiry in London that his findings were the first sign of physical injury associated with the syndrome.

Robert Haley

His conclusions - which he suggests are due to low-level exposure to nerve agents - paves the way for a medical test which would determine if servicemen are suffering from an illness unique to the conflict. The US Department of Defence recently authorised a further $5 million to explore his findings, which earlier this year were also presented to Congress.

However, Dr Haley warned that further research had to be done before a definitive diagnosis could be made.

He told the inquiry, headed by Lord Lloyd of Berwick, how he examined a colonel in the US Army rangers, Bill Davis, who had developed neurological illnesses soon after returning from the 1991 conflict.

He found that Col Davis had lost nerve cells in the basal ganglia structures, two small areas in the brain which determine cognitive thinking and balance. Subsequent research on 43 servicemen (23 of whom were ill) found similar damage. "It is statistically significant," he said.

Dr Haley said those veterans who showed the most damage to the basal ganglia had been in north-east Saudi Arabia on the fourth day of the air war. Bombing of Iraqi military sites in that period is believed to have destroyed chemical weapons stockpiles, blowing small doses towards coalition troops.

The inquiry continues.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: brain; damage; gulf; gulfwar; gulfwarillness; illness; link; war

1 posted on 08/03/2004 6:09:07 PM PDT by blam
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To: blam

Does this mean Saddam had WMDs, or should we just blame Bush (the elder)?


2 posted on 08/03/2004 6:12:09 PM PDT by jocon307
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To: DainBramage

ping


3 posted on 08/03/2004 6:17:02 PM PDT by Clint Williams
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: blam

You mean there really were WMDs?!!


5 posted on 08/03/2004 6:20:03 PM PDT by JohnBovenmyer (I)
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To: jocon307

'soon after returning from the 1991 conflict.'...

Move along, this was from the EARLIER war, and those WMD don't count. Whether they be shot in RPGs, thrown in the water supplies, thrown in the rivers, or blown up as IEDs, they are NOT, I Repeat NOT, WMD.

/s


6 posted on 08/03/2004 6:21:28 PM PDT by bitt (what a crew!)
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To: Clint Williams

Thank you Climt.. for the ping.... uhm...I want the red jello.


7 posted on 08/03/2004 7:31:55 PM PDT by DainBramage
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To: blam

Thanks, blam.

Too bad all they have kept saying for years while the guys and their families die is "more research". That brings money into their pockets and continues to beg the question.


8 posted on 08/03/2004 7:38:07 PM PDT by Spirited
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To: Spirited
Too bad all they have kept saying for years while the guys and their families die is "more research". That brings money into their pockets and continues to beg the question.

Which "they" and "their" are you referring to?

9 posted on 08/03/2004 9:24:17 PM PDT by fourdeuce82d
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To: fourdeuce82d

Government funded and backed research entities.


10 posted on 08/05/2004 9:23:29 PM PDT by Spirited
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