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Gulf War Syndrome triggered by smells of war

December 03, 1998

The persistent symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome in the home years later could well be due to a sickness response to the body's immune system being conditioned to the smells, tastes and sounds of war.

This new explanation of Gulf War Syndrome was presented today, Tuesday 15 December, by Dr Eamonn Ferguson and Dr Helen Cassaday (University of Nottingham) to The British Psychological Society's London Conference, held at the Institute of Education.

The non-specific immune response (based on interleukin-1) is activated by both stressors and infectious agents. This leads to the 'sickness response' which closely resembles the symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome. These include fatigue, headache, depression, joint and muscle pain, rash, sleep disturbances, and problems with memory and concentration.

The psychologists propose that environmental stressors encountered in the Gulf and the 'cocktail' of drugs given to soldiers trigger this IL-1 mediated sickness response. Subsequent exposure (even at home) to diesel fumes (and oil, fire, smoke) and psychological stressors (such as recalling traumatic events) persistently trigger adverse reactions due to the original conditioning of the sickness response.

"Gulf War Syndrome may be treatable with counter-conditioning", said Dr Ferguson. "Also, treatment with IL-1 antagonists may be a safe and effective pharmaceutical therapy, especially as an IL-1 antagonist already exists in the brain."

British Psychological Society (BPS)

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