A 2006 image showing a healthy U.S. soldier on guard duty, protecting his base from attack in Iraq.

Credit: iStockphoto

Related articles

• Sailors' DNA damaged in U.K. nuke tests
• Inherited female brain disorder also in male genes
• Old age memory loss explained
• How gardening could cure depression
• Mouse study shows ultrasound affecting brain development

CHICAGO: Some soldiers suffering from Gulf War syndrome have significantly smaller brain volumes than returning veterans who did not get as sick, according to a new study.

Researchers found that two areas of the brain used for thinking and memory were significantly smaller in soldiers suffering from more than five symptoms of Gulf War syndrome.

These symptoms include: joint pain, fatigue, forgetfulness, headaches, rashes, nausea and difficulty concentrating.

Chemical weapon exposure

The study involved U.S. soldiers who were exposed to chemical weapons when a munitions depot in Khamsiyah, Iraq, was blown up during the first Gulf War (1990 to 1991).

But it is not extensive enough to determine whether their brains were directly damaged as a result of the exposure, said study author Roberta White of the Boston University School of Public Health.

"There are physical differences in their central nervous system," said White. "Yes, it's a difference but whether it's causative or not, I don't know. It could be a preexisting difference or it could be a change that came about during the exposure."

White presented the data today at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Boston, U.S.. She said she plans to expand the study in order to see if she can prove the exposure damaged the veterans' brains.

Learning and memory

"There is a lot of evidence starting to accumulate to see there are nervous system effects of Gulf War service," she said, adding that previous studies have shown that exposure to these types of chemicals can damage the brain.

White has been studying veterans of the Gulf War since they first came home complaining of odd illnesses in 1991. This latest study examined the brain scans of 36 veterans: half reported more than five symptoms while half had five or fewer symptoms.

She found the overall cortex was an average of five per cent smaller in those with more symptoms, while the 'rostral anterior cingulate gyrus' was six per cent smaller. Those with more symptoms also performed an average of 12 to 15 per cent lower on tests of learning and memory and performance worsened as the brain volume decreased.

However, the soldiers studied were functioning despite their symptoms and did not suffer from severe neurological problems, White said. While brain damage is very difficult to reverse, identifying that the damage exists can help in tailoring treatments to help veterans manage their symptoms, she added.