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Gulf War Illness Research

Messages
16
i can't see the last page...any way you can post the box that lists the drugs here?

thanks, lisa

Hi Lisa,

Sorry, I realize I posted the link to the beginning of the text only. This link should take you to the full pdf file.

http://www.rsds.org/2/library/article_archive/pop/Fields_ScientificAmerican.pdf

If it doesn't work please let me know.


The box:

Substance * Mechanism * Testing stage

AV411* Inhibits astrocyte activity *Human tests for efficacy in enhancing morphine action and reducing withdrawal symptoms; safety tests for pain completed

Etanercept * Anti-inflammatory signals quiet glia *Human tests for postsurgical neuropathic pain reduction

interleukins * (cytokines) Anti-inflammatory signals quiet glia * Cell and animal tests for pain

JWh-015 * Activates pain-dampening CB2 cannabinoid receptors * Cell and animal tests for pain

Methionine sulfoximine * Inhibits astrocyte neurotransmitter processing * Cell and animal tests for pain

Minocycline * Inhibits activation of microglia * Cell and animal tests for pain

Propentofylline * Inhibits astrocyte activity * Human safety tests for pain completed

Sativex * Activates cannabinoid receptors * Human efficacy tests for cancer-related and HIV-related neuropathic pain and diabetic neuropathy

Slc022 * Inhibits astrocyte activity * Human efficacy tests for herpes-related neuropathic pain
 
T

thefreeprisoner

Guest
Wow this is really exciting news Cort! I'm almost as excited about this as I am about XMRV.
It makes total sense in so many ways.
Let's keep an eye out for more research about these microglia chaps. :eek:)

Rachel xx
 

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
A WORLD OF CHOICES FOR YOUR CHILD
AUTISM ONE/GENERATION RESCUE 2010 CONFERENCE
MAY 24-30, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
www.autismone.org
OVER 150 SPEAKERS

Daniel Barth, PhD, University of Colorado, presents:
Immune responses to brain injury, cortical excitability, brain function, and seizures

Brain infections, as well traumatic brain injury (TBI), activate "microglial" cells in the brain as part of the innate immune response. Activated microglial cells migrate to areas of damage and produce chemicals (cytokines) contributing to repair. However, evidence will be presented here that these cytokines can also pathologically increase the excitability of the brain, potentially leading to compromised brain function and to the development of acute and chronic seizures. Specifically, evidence for seizures induced by brain infection and microglia activation will be shown. Ongoing work concerned with TBI induced post-traumatic epilepsy and post-traumatic anxiety will be reviewed. Finally, the potential relevance of these findings to autism will be discussed.
 
G

Gerwyn

Guest
A WORLD OF CHOICES FOR YOUR CHILD
AUTISM ONE/GENERATION RESCUE 2010 CONFERENCE
MAY 24-30, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
www.autismone.org
OVER 150 SPEAKERS

Daniel Barth, PhD, University of Colorado, presents:
Immune responses to brain injury, cortical excitability, brain function, and seizures

Brain infections, as well traumatic brain injury (TBI), activate "microglial" cells in the brain as part of the innate immune response. Activated microglial cells migrate to areas of damage and produce chemicals (cytokines) contributing to repair. However, evidence will be presented here that these cytokines can also pathologically increase the excitability of the brain, potentially leading to compromised brain function and to the development of acute and chronic seizures. Specifically, evidence for seizures induced by brain infection and microglia activation will be shown. Ongoing work concerned with TBI induced post-traumatic epilepsy and post-traumatic anxiety will be reviewed. Finally, the potential relevance of these findings to autism will be discussed.

the association of creb and cytokines again integrated virus upreg creb upreg cytos
 

Frickly

Senior Member
Messages
1,049
Location
Texas
Thanks Natasa, I am really looking forward to hearing the news from this conference. It's all coming together now. :Retro smile:

Thanks Kurt!
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
JPV, Blaylock is missing one huge aspect here, that of chronic infections being capable of inducing the same thing...

Perhaps...but many, including Klinghardt and Cheney, have suggested that the heavy metals, the pesticides, the mold exposures are the things that cause the infections to become chronic.
 

Cort

Phoenix Rising Founder
However, evidence will be presented here that these cytokines can also pathologically increase the excitability of the brain, potentially leading to compromised brain function and to the development of acute and chronic seizures.

I think this fits with CFS. Klonopin - a drug that decreases, as I remember, nervous system activity - has been described as one of the most widely used drugs in ME/CFS. Dr. Cheney, long ago, thought our brains were overactive and stated he wished he could put in coma for a period. Dr. Baraniuk believes the information filters in the brain have been compromised, causing overstimulation in the brain. And of course theres the idea of central sensitization.

I was so leery of the autism-CFS connection when Rich first brought it up but there are a number of every so intriguing connections.

Anything I don't overstimulation or overactivity is all that far from seizure.
 
G

Gerwyn

Guest
I think this fits with CFS. Klonopin - a drug that decreases, as I remember, nervous system activity - has been described as one of the most widely used drugs in ME/CFS. Dr. Cheney, long ago, thought our brains were overactive and stated he wished he could put in coma for a period. Dr. Baraniuk believes the information filters in the brain have been compromised, causing overstimulation in the brain. And of course theres the idea of central sensitization.

I was so leery of the autism-CFS connection when Rich first brought it up but there are a number of every so intriguing connections.

Anything I don't overstimulation or overactivity is all that far from seizure.

fits me to a t klonopin helps a lot i had the seisures etc
 

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
Anything I don't overstimulation or overactivity is all that far from seizure.

Depends a lot on what stage of development the brain is under attack... In autism 1 in 3 develop seizures, interestingly enough very many (no stats) will be ok until puberty when seizures start! Or those kids that had absence seizures will get grand mals in puberty. High mortality coming to light only recently...
 

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
I was so leery of the autism-CFS connection when Rich first brought it up but there are a number of every so intriguing connections.

I suspect a number of asd kids also have chronic fatigue, trouble is they would not be able to say that - even if fully verbal if fatigue/malaise is all you know (a 'normal' state) I guess you probably would not be able to describe it properly... Sometimes it could be periodic fatigue, due to screwed glucose metabolism - insulin resistance etc so hard to know (is that present in CFS?)
 

oerganix

Senior Member
Messages
611
Thanks raul - this is a very interesting article.

Interesting too that one of the drugs that has potention is minocycline. Some people do find that one of the tetracyline family of drugs help.

Jenny

Yes, very interesting. Maybe this is why, while on the Marshall Protocol and using minocycline, my extreme back pain totally disappeared, as well as MCS. I also stopped having extreme muscle spasms, sometimes so hard they left visible bruises on the backs of my legs and thighs. One of the nurses at the Marshall Protocol site had the opinion that the muscle spasms were a form of seizure, originating in the brain.

Also interesting that low dose naltrexone is helping a lot of people with a lot of problems, and it apparently affects glial cells. Seems like I remember glial cell 51 mentioned in some of the literature.
 
Messages
16
Regarding central sensitization I liked this review on the biological basis of fibromyalgia:

Pathophysiological mechanisms in chronic musculoskeletal pain (fibromyalgia): the role of central and peripheral sensitization and pain disinhibition.
Nielsen LA, Henriksson KG.
Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Jun;21(3):465-80. Review.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain has biological, psychological and social components. This review deals with the biological factors, with emphasis on the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Studies on central sensitization of pain-transmitting neurons, changes in endogenous pain modulation that give rise to pain disinhibition, referred pain, pain-related decrease in muscle strength and endurance, and pain generators in deep tissues are reviewed. In FMS there is strong scientific support for the statement that the biological part of the syndrome is a longstanding or permanent change in the function of the nociceptive nervous system that can be equated with a disease. Further research is necessary in order to determine which methods are best for diagnosis of the pain hypersensitivity in clinical practice. FMS may be the far end of a continuum that starts with chronic localized/regional musculoskeletal pain and ends with widespread chronic disabling pain.
 

Bob

Senior Member
Messages
16,455
Location
England (south coast)
Brain Scans Depict Gulf War Syndrome Damage

Interesting developments in biological research into Gulf War Syndrome...
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/gulf-war-syndrome-brain-scans/

I also read somewhere that the US government has had an about-turn with regards to Gulf War Syndrome, and is now going to take it seriously... If I remember correctly, the new head of the relevant government department is an ex-soldier and wants to look after his ex-colleagues.
Ah, I've found the story, here it is...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100226/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_gulf_war_illness

Also, more research here:
Brain-Tweaking Chemical Caused Gulf War Syndrome, Says Study
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/03/goverment-chemi/
 

Hysterical Woman

Senior Member
Messages
857
Location
East Coast
Interesting developments in biological research into Gulf War Syndrome...
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/gulf-war-syndrome-brain-scans/

I also read somewhere that the US government has had an about-turn with regards to Gulf War Syndrome, and is now going to take it seriously... If I remember correctly, the new head of the relevant government department is an ex-soldier and wants to look after his ex-colleagues.
Ah, I've found the story, here it is...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100226/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_gulf_war_illness

Also, more research here:
Brain-Tweaking Chemical Caused Gulf War Syndrome, Says Study
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/03/goverment-chemi/

Thanks for posting this Bob, I have forwarded this information to someone I know who is currently undergoing chelation therapy for GWS.

HW
 

oerganix

Senior Member
Messages
611
Too bad we don't have a VA to go to bat for us! Interesting that using only brain scans they have come up with 3 subtypes and some theories of why each subtype is the way it is. Nancy Klimas, are you on this? (I'm sure she is.) If all CFS patients could just get the same brain scans as these veterans, I'll bet we'd get a similar picture.....or pictures.
 

Bob

Senior Member
Messages
16,455
Location
England (south coast)
I just came across this very old news story from 2004... I think it's very interesting:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/jan/12/health.military

A UK army psychiatrist says that he has found a link between vaccines given to soldiers before being deployed, and Gulf War Syndrome...
It's interesting because it suggests that the vaccines are the cause of GWS...
and that a symptom of GWS, in certain cases, is an (auto) immune system disorder which includes osteoporosis.

There was another article posted recently about vaccines... It was to do with the CDC researcher who ran off with $2 millions...
http://www.forums.aboutmecfs.org/sh...nds-With-2M-quot&highlight=autism+cdc+million
It has been discovered that all of this researcher's studies, which he carried out for the CDC, looking into the link between autism and vaccines, maybe corrupt.
He was doing research in Denmark because Denmark has banned mercury being used in vaccines, so he was looking to see if there is a reduction in autism rates in Denmark...
so he was researching the link between mercury in vaccines and autism.
The idea is that mercury is a neuro-toxin, and could cause autism, or be a determining factor in autism in some children.

I've been thinking about two other connections that there maybe between XMRV, GWS, Autism, mercury and vaccines:
I have seen it suggested that there maybe a link between ME and vaccines, and I was receiving high dose Hepatitis vaccines just before i got ME, because i was working as a health care employee in a hospital. (Do they really use mercury in vaccines as a preservative? I just find this totally crazy! I just can't believe that anyone could think this is a good idea!)
Also, Judy Mikovits says she has found a connection between atypical Autism and XMRV.
So does this mean that there might be a link between the mercury in vaccines, and susceptibility to XMRV?
i.e. is there a link between mercury in vaccines, XMRV, autism, GWS and ME?


(Of course we might yet find out that XMRV doesn't play a role in ME, and that ME, autism and GWS are caused by some other disease process related to neuro-toxicity or an auto-immune disorder etc.)
 

BEG

Senior Member
Messages
1,032
Location
Southeast US
Here is an abstract from another interesting article about toxic exposure being the precursor to CFS. I found it online at the National Forum webite.

Chronic fatigue syndrome following a toxic exposure.
Racciatti D, Vecchiet J, Ceccomancini A, Ricci F, Pizzigallo E.

Department of Infectious Diseases, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti Scalo, Italy. racciatt@unich.it

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a clinical entity characterized by severe fatigue lasting more than 6 months and other well-defined symptoms. Even though in most CFS cases the etiology is still unknown, sometimes the mode of presentation of the illness implicates the exposure to chemical and/or food toxins as precipitating factors: ciguatera poisoning, sick building syndrome, Gulf War syndrome, exposure to organochlorine pesticides, etc. In the National Reference Center for CFS Study at the Department of Infectious Diseases of 'G. D'Annunzio' University (Chieti) we examined five patients (three females and two males, mean age: 37.5 years) who developed the clinical features of CFS several months after the exposure to environmental toxic factors: ciguatera poisoning in two cases, and exposure to solvents in the other three cases. These patients were compared and contrasted with two sex- and age-matched subgroups of CFS patients without any history of exposure to toxins: the first subgroup consisted of patients with CFS onset following an EBV infection (post-infectious CFS), and the second of patients with a concurrent diagnosis of major depression. All subjects were investigated by clinical examination, neurophysiological and immunologic studies, and neuroendocrine tests. Patients exposed to toxic factors had disturbances of hypothalamic function similar to those in controls and, above all, showed more severe dysfunction of the immune system with an abnormal CD4/CD8 ratio, and in three of such cases with decreased levels of NK cells (CD56+). These findings may help in understanding the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in CFS.

PMID: 11327394 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

If you would like to read the full article:

http://www.ncf-net.org/library/CFSfollowingToxicExposure.pdf

The immune system effect from toxic exposure is explained quite well. Hope it gives further explanation to those who still may have questions.
 

guest

Guest
Messages
320
Brain Scans Depict Gulf War Syndrome Damage

"...Whats emerged is evidence to suggest that there are three major syndromes responsible for Gulf War Illness, he says. They appear loosely linked to at least three different types of agents to which many troops were exposed: sarin nerve gas, a nerve gas antidote (pyridostigmine bromide) that presented its own risks and military-grade pesticides to prevent illness from sand flies and other noxious pests. But Briggs acknowledges that no one knows for sure which combination of agents or environmental conditions might have conspired to trigger Gulf War illness.

What is clear, he says, is that our data now clearly show, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there are brain abnormalities physiological differences between ill veterans and normal ones. And from the new scans, we can tell the ill veterans from the well veterans. And we can distinguish syndromes one, two and three from each other."



Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/gulf-war-syndrome-brain-scans/#ixzz0jK46FEHK