Illnesses obtained from the Gulf War can now be linked to physical changes in the brain, according to a new study by Georgetown University. About one-quarter of Gulf War veterans said they experience unexplained pain and fatigue that doctors can't trace to any single exposure to nerve agents, pesticides or herbicides.
The study did find brain scans of 31 veterans with these symptoms found damage in nerve fibers that connect brain areas linked to perception of pain and fatigue.
Researchers say this discovery could lead to possible treatment aimed at regenerating these neurons.