A new scientific review of medical studies on the chronic Gulf War syndrome finds a strong association between the illness suffered by many veterans and the exposure to a group of chemicals known as acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors. According to a recent study, it appears that the chemicals were discovered in pesticides used around military facilities.

The study “thoroughly, conclusively shows that this class of chemicals actually are a cause of illness in Gulf War veterans,” explained Dr. Beatrice Golomb, an associate professor of medicine at UC an Diego, reports the Los Angeles Times.

She affirmed that some of the chemicals linked to the syndrome are still being used in homes and agriculture, not only in the US but in the entire world.

On the other hand, some researchers said Gulf War syndrome is such a complex and controversial illness with such varied symptoms, that it is very difficult to place the blame on a single cause. The known symptoms of the disease include muscle or joint pain, exhaustion, memory and sleep problems. Approximately 200,000 veterans are believed to suffer from it.

Over the years, researchers have proposed multiple potential causes for the illness, like psychological stress and exposure to toxic materials from oil, but there is still much uncertainty. The acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors cause uncontrolled signaling between cells that could possibly lead to excess secretion in the airways, muscle paralysis and seizures. Previous studies estimated that at least 250,000 soldiers were exposed to this group of chemicals.

“Veterans who are genetically less able to clear this type of chemical from their bodies had a higher chance of suffering symptoms, which mirror problems reported by pesticide-exposed agriculture workers,” Dr.Golomb said.  

The study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.