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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Jan 24.
Published in final edited form as: Cortex. 2015 Sep 25;74:449–475. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.08.022

Table 7.

Neurocognitive findings in Gulf War veterans.

Study Groups studied Key findings
Odegard et al., 2013 10 GWV Haley Syndrome 1; 12 GWV Haley Syndrome 2; 11 GWV Haley Syndrome 3; 14 GWV well controls Control GWV and GWV with Haley Syndrome 1 provided significantly more recall responses to face-name items than GWVs with Haley Syndrome 3. Memory performance was related to activation in the left hippocampus.
Tillman et al., 2010 25 GWV with major cognitive complaints; 23 matched GWV controls The experimental group had significantly more false positives and significantly fewer hits than the control group suggesting inhibition difficulties. The mean P3 amplitude of the patient group was significantly lower than the control group, and also demonstrated a condition effect with decreased amplitude during the NOGO condition.
Toomey et al., 2009 1,061 deployed GWV; 1128 nondeployed GWV Eight factors were generated accounting for 68% of variance including verbal memory, attention/working memory, visual memory, executive functioning, perceptual motor speed, visual organization, motor speed, and sustained attention. With a cutoff of 2 SD below the mean the deployed group performed worse on motor speed and sustained attention. The deployed group performed significantly worse on Trails B compared to the nondeployed group. Self-reported exposure to contaminated food or water was a significant predictor of performance in sustained attention. Khamisiyah exposure was a significant predictor of verbal memory performance, CARC/paint and receipt of IG were significant predictors of visual memory performance, and SCUD missiles and vaccines of motor speed performance.
Wallin et al., 2009 25 deployed GWV with CDC defined GWI; 16 deployed GWV without CDC defined GWI No significant differences were found between GWI cases and controls in assessed cognitive domains. GWI cases and controls mean scores were both within normal limits compared to population based normative samples. GWI cases mean scores were all lower than controls. GWI cases were significantly more impaired on measures of mood and quality of life.

Abbreviations: GWV = Gulf War veteran; CARC = chemical agent resistant coating; IG = immunoglobulin; SD = standard deviation; CDC = Centers for Disease Control.

(Table adapted from RACGWVI, 2014).