Pathophysiology in a model of Gulf War Illness: Contributions of pyridostigmine bromide and stress

The Gulf War was unusual in its use of pyridostigmine bromide (PB) as prophylactic treatment against toxicity from nerve gas agents. However, this prophylactic treatment along with the stress of deployment may have caused unexpected alterations in neural and immune function, resulting in a host of cognitive deficits which are a component of symptoms now clinically termed Gulf War Illness (GWI). Although GWI is considered a unique diagnosis for veterans deployed in the Gulf War, symptomology of GWI parallels symptoms of other conditions in civilian populations, including chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), major depressive disorder (MDD), PTSD, and fibromyalgia.

Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - July 10, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: V.A. Macht, J.L. Woodruff, C.A. Grillo, C.S. Wood, M.A. Wilson, L.P. Reagan Source Type: research