Violeta
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What can we learn about ME/CFS from Gulf War Illness research?
Associations of Immune Genetic Variability with Gulf War Illness in 1990–1991 Gulf War Veterans from the Gulf War Illness Consortium (GWIC) Multisite Case-Control Study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8615505/
In particular, myelin and neuronal breakdown products in the extracellular spaces are thought to activate glial cells by acting as toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, specifically at TLR4 [11,12]. Glial activation of TLR4 from these internal factors (including HMGB1 [13]), as well as external stimuli (e.g., cellular debris, bacteria) results in release of CNS pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)). The CNS inflammatory response [14] induces sickness response symptoms including fatigue, muscle and joint pain and cognitive difficulties.
However, what is less clear is why only some GW veterans have chronic illness while others with similar exposures do not, and may be suggestive of variability in genetic susceptibility for chronic inflammation or risk susceptibility of GWI.