Gulf War Illness

Details

• Personal Author:
  Michalovicz LT
• Description:
  Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multi-symptom disorder characterized by persistent headaches, muscle pain, chronic fatigue, memory loss, confusion, gastrointestinal disturbances, and rashes. While the illness is believed to be the result of various toxic exposures during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the underlying biological cause of this persistent illness is still being investigated. The alignment of GWI with sickness behavior, a collective of behavioral symptoms that has been associated with neuroinflammation, suggests that GWI may also be the result of a persistent inflammatory state in the brain. By evaluating animal models subjected to similar "in theater" exposure conditions, it has become apparent that exposures to toxicants like the nerve agent, sarin, or its surrogate, diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), and various organophosphate insecticides, e.g., chlorpyrifos, cause significant neuroinflammatory effects. When these exposures are coupled with a stressor or a stressor mimic, such as exogenous corticosterone, the resultant neuroinflammation, as indicated by enhanced mRNA expression of broad categories of cytokines and chemokines assessed by qPCR, is exacerbated and maintained over a longer duration. Building upon these observations, while a single exposure scenario may not alter the baseline response threshold, a combination of stress and chemical toxicants (e.g., under wartime conditions) can be observed to shift this threshold, priming the brain in a manner that will result in an exacerbated response to a subsequent inflammatory challenge. We show that this priming shifts the susceptibility of the CNS to immune challenges, resulting in the potential for an exacerbated sickness behavior response to even mild stimuli, such as a low dose of the bacterial mimic, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Adrenal Cortex Hormones Behavior Immune System Insecticides Lipids Nervous System Nervous System Diseases Occupational Health Organophosphates Safety Toxicology

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• Keywords:
  Analytical Models Behavior Patterns Biological Effects Biological Systems Brain Function Brain Matter Central Nervous System Chemical Warfare Agents Chlorpyrifos Chronic Inflammation Clinical Symptoms Corticoids Cytokines Health Effects Immune Reaction Immune System Lipopolysaccharide Military Personnel Neurological Disorders Neurological Reactions Neurophysiological Effects Neurotoxic Agents Organophosphorus Insecticides Organophosphorus Pesticides Ribonucleic Acids RNA Sarin Stress

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• ISSN:
  1096-6080
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  156
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049443
• Citation:
  Toxicologist 2017 Mar; 156(1):306
• CAS Registry Number:
  Chlorpyrifos (CAS RN 2921-88-2) ; Diisopropyl fluorophosphate (CAS RN 55-91-4) ; Sarin (CAS RN 107-44-8)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  The Toxicologist. Society of Toxicology 56th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, March 12-16, 2017, Baltimore, Maryland
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a7dd81de62bc6313efa70f7fb2f45a255c9b3181c3d81171b35472b976bfa02ba0b8092ec160780c23f06cf26a4b21ebcea04f059e49a8b6e2160fadd9e2ee7f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203888/cdc_203888_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 942.12 KB ]