It appears that the findings have not yet been published; in fact, the study has not been completed. So it is early to draw firm conclusions. They've done MRIs on 36 persons; 18 with a high level of symptoms, 18 with milder symptoms. The findings were presented at the 59th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. The study is being done at Boston University and the Boston VA Medical Center by Roberta White, PhD, and Ronald Killiany, PhD.
The news report is at Medscape (free registration required.)
There is one thing in the report that I do not agree with.
"We've shown there are differences in MRI findings between high- and low-symptom Gulf War veterans. In recent times, the Institute of Medicine and other groups have come out more or less attributing these symptoms to psychiatric conditions and implying there was no physical basis for them, but we've shown this is not the case," Dr. White told Medscape.
Study coauthor Dr. Ronald Killiany, PhD, from Boston University School of Medicine, told Medscape that these data are an "important first step for Gulf War veterans as well as the scientific community in validating the fact that so-called 'soft' neurological conditions can have a pathological basis."
The presence or absence of structural brain changes says nothing about whether the condition is a psychiatric one. Plus, I don't think anyone ever had any reason to doubt that there was a pathological basis for soft neurological conditions. Of course there is a pathological basis.
Comments
Still, hold your breath for 629 days more, because nothing will start getting fixed until after Bush is ousted. The Rovian policies are still in force, and are being expanded into more and more agencies in more and more ways. Lots more things will get lots worse between now and 2009 Jan 20.
Posted by: Roy | May 1, 2007 2:55 PM
"Of course there's a pathological basis for neurological symptoms," but...is the comparison group the right one? It seems that a group of Iraqi soldiers who fought in the Gulf War would make a more interesting comparison for baseline brain volumes, prevalence of symptoms, exposure to toxins, and disability.
Posted by: Howard | May 1, 2007 3:01 PM
A neurologist (or in this case, a researcher in neurology) takes a potshot at psychiatry? *Gasp*
...wait, the sarcasm is running down my leg :0)
Posted by: Garrett | May 1, 2007 3:34 PM
This is very helpful information, cogently stated. Great subject - PTSD and Iraq. Consider the psychiatric issues our military will leave behind. Thank you.
Posted by: Psych Meds | May 2, 2007 9:06 PM