Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.LIZ HUNT
Health Editor
Some veterans suffering from so-called Gulf war syndrome are showing physical evidence of nerve damage, according to new research.
The findings suggest that the nervous systems of individuals who believe they have the syndrome, do demonstrate clear differences when compared with those of the general population.
The findings, to be published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry later this week, will be seized on by scores of men and women who fought in the Gulf and have since suffered a range of debilitating symptoms. They are campaigning for recognition of Gulf war syndrome by the Ministry of Defence, and many are demanding compensation.
A number of veterans have died after suffering a breakdown in their health that relatives attribute to the syndrome.
Dr Goran Jamal, of the Institute of Neurological Sciences at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, analysed the veterans' ability to hear sound impulses, a test designed to determine damage to the central nervous system.
Another test involved monitoring their nerve response to an electrical impulse passed through nerves on their arms and legs, to assess injury to the nerve endings in the peripheral nervous system.
"The results show there were significant differences between the two populations - the Gulf war veterans versus the control population - in terms of nervous system function. The Gulf war veterans performed less well," Dr Jamal says on BBC Scotland's Frontline Scotland programme, to be screened tonight.
Dr Jamal said the "Naps" nerve gas antidote given to British soldiers could be an important factor.
French soldiers not issued with Naps tablets have had no health problems, he said.
Several veterans interviewed in the programme recall how they were given a cocktail of 17 injections against diseases like plague - as well as tablets designed to protect them from biological and nerve gas attack, all in the space of a few days.
"One of the problems is we research these substances alone, in isolation," said Dr Jamal. "What we don't know is the combined effect, of for instance Naps combined with other compounds, and I think it is underestimated."
Katherine Lamb, a former army nurse from Helensburgh, Strathclyde, says on the programme: "I am angry that the MoD have continued to deny there are medical problems. I can't understand why they continue to do this in the light of the evidence available. I think they will have to accept at the end of the day that they have some responsibility for the medical condition of the troops that were in the Gulf."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments