scholarly journals Using Plasma Autoantibodies of Central Nervous System Proteins to Distinguish Veterans with Gulf War Illness from Healthy and Symptomatic Controls

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 610
Author(s):  
Mohamed B. Abou-Donia ◽  
Elizabeth S. Lapadula ◽  
Maxine H. Krengel ◽  
Emily Quinn ◽  
Jessica LeClair ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Gulf War ◽  
Gulf War Illness ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Neurofilament Protein ◽  
Diagnostic Characteristics ◽  
Cns Proteins

For the past 30 years, there has been a lack of objective tools for diagnosing Gulf War Illness (GWI), which is largely characterized by central nervous system (CNS) symptoms emerging from 1991 Gulf War (GW) veterans. In a recent preliminary study, we reported the presence of autoantibodies against CNS proteins in the blood of veterans with GWI, suggesting a potential objective biomarker for the disorder. Now, we report the results of a larger, confirmatory study of these objective biomarkers in 171 veterans with GWI compared to 60 healthy GW veteran controls and 85 symptomatic civilian controls (n = 50 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and n = 35 irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)). Specifically, we compared plasma markers of CNS autoantibodies for diagnostic characteristics of the four groups (GWI, GW controls, ME/CFS, IBS). For veterans with GWI, the results showed statistically increased levels of nine of the ten autoantibodies against neuronal “tubulin, neurofilament protein (NFP), Microtubule Associated Protein-2 (MAP-2), Microtubule Associated Protein-Tau (Tau), alpha synuclein (α-syn), calcium calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII)” and glial proteins “Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), Myelin Associated Glycoprotein (MAG), Myelin Basic Protein (MBP), S100B” compared to healthy GW controls as well as civilians with ME/CFS and IBS. Next, we summed all of the means of the CNS autoantibodies for each group into a new index score called the Neurodegeneration Index (NDI). The NDI was calculated for each tested group and showed veterans with GWI had statistically significantly higher NDI values than all three control groups. The present study confirmed the utility of the use of plasma autoantibodies for CNS proteins to distinguish among veterans with GWI and other healthy and symptomatic control groups.

Screening for novel central nervous system biomarkers in veterans with Gulf War Illness

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 36-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed B. Abou-Donia ◽  
Lisa A. Conboy ◽  
Efi Kokkotou ◽  
Eric Jacobson ◽  
Eman M. Elmasry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Gulf War ◽  
Gulf War Illness

scholarly journals Adaptive Immune Responses Associated with the Central Nervous System Pathology of Gulf War Illness

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 263310552110184
Author(s):  
Aurore Nkiliza ◽  
Utsav Joshi ◽  
James E Evans ◽  
Ghania Ait-Ghezala ◽  
Megan Parks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Gulf War ◽  
Gulf War Illness ◽  
Adaptive Immune Responses ◽  
Adaptive Immune ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Gulf War Illness is a multisymptomatic condition which affects 30% of veterans from the 1991 Gulf War. While there is evidence for a role of peripheral cellular and humoral adaptive immune responses in Gulf War Illness, a potential role of the adaptive immune system in the central nervous system pathology of this condition remains unknown. Furthermore, many of the clinical features of Gulf War Illness resembles those of autoimmune diseases, but the biological processes are likely different as the etiology of Gulf War Illness is linked to hazardous chemical exposures specific to the Gulf War theatre. This review discusses Gulf War chemical–induced maladaptive immune responses and a potential role of cellular and humoral immune responses that may be relevant to the central nervous system symptoms and pathology of Gulf War Illness. The discussion may stimulate investigations into adaptive immunity for developing novel therapies for Gulf War Illness.

scholarly journals Sex-Based Differences in Plasma Autoantibodies to Central Nervous System Proteins in Gulf War Veterans versus Healthy and Symptomatic Controls

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Mohamed B. Abou-Donia ◽  
Maxine H. Krengel ◽  
Elizabeth S. Lapadula ◽  
Clara G. Zundel ◽  
Jessica LeClair ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Women Veterans ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Gulf War ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Gulf War Veterans ◽  
Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Irritable Bowel

Veterans from the 1991 Gulf War (GW) have suffered from Gulf War illness (GWI) for nearly 30 years. This illness encompasses multiple body systems, including the central nervous system (CNS). Diagnosis and treatment of GWI is difficult because there has not been an objective diagnostic biomarker. Recently, we reported on a newly developed blood biomarker that discriminates GWI from GW healthy controls, and symptomatic controls with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The present study was designed to compare levels of these biomarkers between men and women with GWI, as well as sex-specific effects in comparison to healthy GW veterans and symptomatic controls (IBS, ME/CFS). The results showed that men and women with GWI differ in 2 of 10 plasma autoantibodies, with men showing significantly elevated levels. Men and women with GWI showed significantly different levels of autoantibodies in 8 of 10 biomarkers to neuronal and glial proteins in plasma relative to controls. In summary, the present study addressed the utility of the use of plasma autoantibodies for CNS proteins to distinguish among both men and women veterans with GWI and other healthy and symptomatic control groups.

Treatment of fibromyalgia (chronic widespread pain) and chronic fatigue syndrome

2020 ◽  
pp. 1330-1341
Author(s):  
Jonathan Price
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Chronic Widespread Pain ◽  
Widespread Pain ◽  
Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
System P ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Key Aspects

Fibromyalgia (FM), one of the chronic widespread pain syndromes, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are important and common conditions. They are considered together here because they are commonly comorbid and because of their similarities—they are long-term conditions with a relatively poor prognosis; central nervous system mechanisms and deconditioning play an important role in aetiology; graded exercise and psychological treatments have an important role in management; and comorbid mental disorders are common and have an adverse impact on important outcomes, including disability and chronicity. The prevalence of FM is rising, while that of CFS is declining. There is increased acceptance of the pivotal role of central nervous system factors in FM, while in CFS, the positions of different aetiological ‘movements’ appear bitterly entrenched. The main focus of this chapter is on FM and, in particular, key aspects of aetiology and treatment, especially those relating to the central nervous system.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Central Nervous System

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 867-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Chen ◽  
FX Liang ◽  
J Moriya ◽  
J Yamakawa ◽  
H Sumino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Neurotrophic Factors ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Brain

An increasing amount of neuroimaging evidence supports the hypothesis that chronic fatigue syndrome patients have structural or functional abnormalities within the brain. Moreover, some neurotrophic factors, neurotransmitters and cytokines have also been evaluated in order to elucidate the mechanism of abnormal neuropsychic findings in chronic fatigue syndrome. In this review, we suggest that the focal point of chronic fatigue syndrome research should be transferred to the central nervous system.

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