|
Inclusion Criteria
|
| Age 43–75 years |
| Deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Shield and/or Operation Desert Storm during the 1990–1991 Gulf War |
|
Exclusion Criteria
|
| Diagnosed with a neurologic or musculoskeletal condition (lupus, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) |
| Diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease |
| One or more of the GWI Kansas case definition exclusionary conditions: schizophrenia, active cancer treatment, or presence of cognitive/physical impairments following a stroke |
| Unstable psychiatric illness (defined as hospitalization within the previous year for depression, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder) |
| Active/unstable illness (defined as hospitalization within the last 5 years for diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, seizure disorder, kidney or liver disease) |
| Chronic infectious disease lasting 6 months or longer requiring hospitalization in the last year |
| Current involvement in any clinical trial |
| Pregnancy |
| Use of antibiotics, probiotics, immunomodulatory medications, or fecal microbiome transplant in the 90 days prior to screening. |
