We<br>do know that rats with nervous systems
sensitive to organophosphate pesticides are also intolerant
of diverse drugs and have increased
gut<br>permeability which in humans is associated with food
intolerance (Overstreet et al, 1996). This suggests the
breakdown might involve the cholinergic nervous system,
which regulates processes throughout the body. How can
these<br>people be helped? No one knows -- yet. The biggest
obstacle is the symptoms themselves, which serve as red
herrings, diverting attention away from the central
problem. What we do know is that Gulf War veterans, who
have come to<br>recognize what sets them off and then
avoid these triggers, tend to improve. We need to apply
this understanding to the diagnosis and treatment of
other such veterans. The first thing that needs to be
done is to set up unmasking studies in which sick Gulf
War veterans can be isolated from the exposures that
are setting them off. This can be achieved by putting
them in a special<br>environmentally controlled
hospital unit (Miller, 1997; Miller et al, 1997).<br>Once
we get them to baseline, we can reintroduce things
like caffeine, perfumes, various foods, etc., and
identify some of the things that cause<br>their flare-ups.
With avoidance, it is hoped that they, too, can
improve. <br>This combined diagnostic-therapeutic approach
would eliminate much of the confusion that is the focus
of this hearing. There is no simple answer to Gulf
War illness. No single toxicant is likely to have
caused it. But if we concentrate less on the original
toxicants and more on the underlying<br>disease mechanism,
I believe we can make progress in understanding why
these people are sick and what we can do to help them.