RECENT PUBLICATIONS (Peer-Reviewed Medical Literature)

Gulf War Illness Research Program (GWIRP)

Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
U.S. Department of Defense

As of March 2, 2018

GW080053, Baraniuk, James, Georgetown University, Exercise-Induced Cerebrospinal Fluid

Proteomic Biomarkers of Fatigue. Publications:

▪ Baraniuk, J. N., & Shivapurkar, N., 2017. Exercise – induced changes in cerebrospinal
fluid miRNAs in Gulf War Illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and sedentary control
subjects. Scientific Reports, 7, 15338. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-15383-9

GW008059, Conboy, Lisa, New England School of Acupuncture, Effectiveness of Acupuncture

in the Treatment of Gulf War Illness. Publications:

▪ Conboy L, Gerke T, Hsu KY et al. 2016. The Effectiveness of Individualized Acupuncture

Protocols in the Treatment of Gulf War Illness: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial.
PLoS One. 11(3):e0149161. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149161

GW080080, Bach, Ronald, Minnesota Veterans Medical Research and Education Foundation,
Biomarkers of Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses: Tissue Factor, Chronic Coagulopathy, and
Inflammation. Publications:

▪ Johnson GJ, Leis LA, Slater BC, et al. 2013. Elevated platelet count, CRP and
thromboxane analog-induced platelet aggregation in subjects with Gulf War Veterans’
Illnesses: Evidence of a chronic inflammatory state? Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis
24(7):736-741. https://doi.org/10.1097/MBC.0b013e328362627f
▪ Johnson, G. J., Slater, B. C. S., Leis, L. A., Rector, T. S., & Bach, R. R., 2016. Blood
Biomarkers of Chronic Inflammation in Gulf War Illness. PLoS ONE, 11(6), e0157855.
http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0157855

GW093021. Repine, John E., University of Colorado at Denver Anschutz Medical Campus,
Exhaled Gas Frequency Comb Spectroscopy Distinguishing Biomarkers in Gulf War
Illness Syndrome. Publications:

▪ Repine JE, Wilson P, Elkins N,et al. 2016. Inhalation of two putative Gulf War toxins by
mice. J Environ Sci Health B. 51(6):366-73.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03601234.2016.1142318

GW100068, Nakamura, Yoshio, University of Utah, Investigating Clinical Benefits of a Novel

Sleep-Focused, Mind-Body Program on Gulf War Illness Symptoms: An Exploratory
Randomized Controlled Trial. Publications:

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▪ Nakamura Y1, Lipschitz DL, Donaldson GW, et al. 2017. Investigating Clinical Benefits of
a Novel Sleep-Focused Mind-Body Program on Gulf War Illness (GWI) Symptoms: A
Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychosom Med 79(6):706–718, JUL 2017. https://doi.org/
10.1097/PSY.0000000000000469

GW100076, Ait-Ghezala, Ghania, Roskamp Institute (FL), Proteomic Immune Profiling for the
Therapeutic Modulation of Cognitive Impairment in a Novel GWI Mouse Mode. Publications:

▪ Abdullah L, Crynen G, Reed J, et al. 2011. Proteomic CNS profile of delayed cognitive
impairment in mice exposed to Gulf War agents. Neuromolecular Med 13(4):275‐88.
▪ Abdullah L, Evans JE, Bishop A, et al. 2012. Lipidomic profiling of phosphocholine-‐
containing brain lipids in mice with sensorimotor deficits and anxiety-‐like features
after exposure to Gulf War agents. Neuromolecular Med 14(4):349‐61.
▪ Abdullah L, Evans JE, Montague H, et al. 2013. Chronic elevation of phosphocholine
containing lipids in mice exposed to Gulf War agents pyridostigmine bromide and
permethrin. Neurotoxicol Teratol 40: 74‐84.
▪ Zakirova Z, Tweed M, Crynen G, et al. 2015. Gulf War Agent Exposure Causes
Impairment of Long-Term Memory Formation and Neuropathological Changes in a
Mouse Model of Gulf War Illness. PLoS ONE.10(3):e0119579.
▪ Zakirova Z, Crynen G, Hassan S., et al. 2015. A Chronic Longitudinal Characterization of
Neurobehavioral and Neuropathological Cognitive Impairment in a Mouse Model of
Gulf War Agent Exposure. Front Integr Neurosci 9:71.
▪ Zakirova1 Z, Reed J, Crynen G, et al. 2017. Complementary proteomic approaches reveal
mitochondrial dysfunction, immune and inflammatory dysregulation in a mouse model
of gulf war illness. Proteomics Clin Appl 2017 Sep;11(9-10).
https//doi.org/10.1002/prca.201600190
▪ Emmerich T, Zakirova Z, Klimas N, et al. 2017. Phospholipid profiling of plasma from
GW veterans and rodent models to identify potential biomarkers of Gulf War Illness.
PLoS ONE 12(4): e0176634. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176634

GW120033, Pierce, Lisa, Tripler Army Medical Center, Role of microRNAs in the
Pathobiology of Gulf War Illness: Identification of Potential Novel Therapeutic Targets.
Publications:

▪ Pierce LM, Kurata WE, Matsumoto KW, Clark ME, and Farmer DM. 2016. Long-term
epigenetic alterations in a rat model of Gulf War Illness. Neurotoxicology 55:20-32.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2016.05.007

GW120037 (Consortium Award), Sullivan, Kimberly, Boston University, Brain Immune

Interactions as the Basis of Gulf War Illness: Gulf War Illness Consortium (GWIC).
Publications:

▪ O'Callaghan JP, Kelly KA, Locker AR, et al. 2015. Corticosterone primes the
neuroinflammatory response to DFP in mice: Potential animal model of Gulf War
Illness. J Neurochemistry 133:708-721. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.13088

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▪ Yee MK, Seichepine DR, Januelwicz PA, et al. 2016. Traumatic Brain injury, Health and
Rate of Chronic Multisymptom Illness in Veterans From the 1990-1991 Gulf War. J
Head Trauma Rehabil 31(5):320-328. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000173
▪ O'Callaghan JP, Michalovicz LT, and Kelly KA. 2016. Supporting a Neuroimmune Basis
of Gulf War Illness. EbioMedicine 13:5-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.10.037
▪ Fields RD, Dutta DJ, Belgrad J, Robnett M. Cholinergic signaling in myelination. Glia.
2017 May;65(5):687-698. doi: 10.1002/glia.23101. Epub 2017 Jan 19.
https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.23101
▪ Koo BB, Michalovicz LT, Calderazzo S, Kelly KA, Sullivan K, Killiany RJ, O'Callaghan JP.
Corticosterone potentiates DFP-induced neuroinflammation and affects high-order
diffusion imaging in a rat model of Gulf War Illness. Brain Behav Immun. 2017 Aug 4,
pii: S0889-1591(17)30391-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2017.08.003.
▪ Janulewicz PA, Krengel MH, Maule A, et al. Neuropsychological characteristics of Gulf
War illness: A meta-analysis. Chao L, ed. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(5):e0177121.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0177121.
▪ Maule A, Janulewicz, P, Krengel M, et al. A meta-analysis of self-reported neurological
and neuropsychological symptoms in Gulf War Veterans. J Int Neuropsychol Soc,
Supplement 1:9, BMJ Open. 2018 Feb 13;8(2):e016086. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-
2017-016086
▪ Kelly KA, Michalovicz LT, Miller JV, Castranova V, Miller DB, O’Callaghan JP. Prior
exposure to corticosterone markedly enhances and prolongs the neuroinflammatory
response to systemic challenge with LPS. Scavone C, ed. PLoS ONE.
2018;13(1):e0190546. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190546.

GW120039, Cooper, Brian, University of Florida, Persistent Neural Membrane Protein

Misregulation Following Neurotoxicant Exposure. Publications:

▪ Nutter TJ, Johnson RD, Cooper BY. 2015. A delayed chronic pain like condition with
decreased Kv channel activity in a rat model of Gulf War Illness pain syndrome.
Neurotoxicology. 51:67-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2015.09.010
▪ Cooper BY, Johnson RD and Nutter TJ. 2016. Exposure to Gulf War Illness chemicals
induces functional muscarinic receptor maladaptations in muscle nociceptors.
Neurotoxicol 54: 99-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2016.04.001

GW120045 (Consortium Award), Morris, Mariana, Nova Southeastern University,

Understanding Gulf War Illness: An Integrative Modeling Approach. Publications:

▪ O'Callaghan JP, Kelly KA, Locker AR, et al. 2015. Corticosterone primes the
neuroinflammatory response to DFP in mice: Potential animal model of Gulf War
Illness. J Neurochem 133(5):708-721.
▪ Rice M, del Rosario R, Craddock TJA, et al. 2016. Gulf War Illness: Is there lasting
damage to endocrine-immune circuitry? Sys Biomed 2(4):80-89.
DOI: 10.1080/21628130.2015.1127498
▪ O’Callaghan, J. P., Michalovicz, L. T., & Kelly, K. A. 2016. Supporting a Neuroimmune
Basis of Gulf War Illness. EBioMedicine, 13, 5–6.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.10.037

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▪ Locker AR, Michalovicz LT, Kelly KA, Miller JV, Miller DB, O’Callaghan JP.
Corticosterone primes the neuroinflammatory response to Gulf War Illness‐relevant
organophosphates independently of acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Journal of
Neurochemistry. 2017;142(3):444-455. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.14071.

GW130025, Bach, Ronald, Minnesota Veterans Medical Research and Education Foundation,
Gulf War Illness Inflammation Reduction Trial. Publications:

GW130028, Conboy, Lisa, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Bench to
Bedside: Understanding Symptom Response to Acupuncture Treatment and Designing a
Successful Acupuncture Treatment Program. Publications:

▪ Conboy L, Gerke T, Hsu K-Y, et al. 2016. The effectiveness of individualized acupuncture
protocols in the treatment of Gulf War Illness: A pragmatic randomized clinical trial.
PLoS ONE 11(3): e0149161. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone49161
▪ Chang JC, Schyner RN, Conboy L. 2017. Treating Gulf War Illness: The Lasting Effects
of Desert Shield/Storm. Acupunct Today. 18(8); 1;14;32..
www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=33357

GW130037, Shetty, Ashok, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center,
Monosodium Luminol for Improving Brain Function in Gulf War Illness. Publications:

▪ Shetty GA, Hattiangady B, Upadhya D, et al. Chronic Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial

Dysfunction, Nrf2 Activation and Inflammation in the Hippocampus Accompany
Heightened Systemic Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in an Animal Model of Gulf
War Illness. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 2017;10:182.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2017.00182.

GW130045, Abdullah, Lailah, Roskamp Institute (FL), Restoring the Brain’s Lipid
Homeostasis as a Therapeutic Avenue for Treating the CNS Symptoms of Gulf War Illness.
Publications:

▪ Abdullah L, Evans JE, Joshi U, et al. 2016. Translational potential of long-term decreases
in mitochondrial lipids in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness. Toxicology 372:22-33.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2016.10.012
▪ Emmerich, T., Zakirova, Z., Klimas, N., Sullivan, K., Shetty, A. K., Evans, J. E., …
Crawford, F. 2017. Phospholipid profiling of plasma from GW veterans and rodent
models to identify potential biomarkers of Gulf War Illness. PLoS ONE, 12(4),
e0176634. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176634

GW140053. Georgopolous, Apostolous, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Gulf War Illness

as a Brain Autoimmune Disorder. Publications:

▪ Georgopoulos et al. (2017). Gulf War Illness (GWI) as a neuroimmune disease.

Experimental Brain Research, 235: 3217-3225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-017-5050-0

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▪ James et al (2017). Human Leukocyte Antigen and Gulf War Illness (GW):
HLA=DRB1*13:02 spares subcortical atrophy in Gulf War Veterans. EBioMedicine, 26:
136-131.

GW140140, Sullivan, Kimberly, Boston University Medical Campus, Novel Autoantibody

Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Veterans with Gulf War Illness. Publications:

▪ Abou-Donia MB, Conboy LA, Kokkotou E, Jacobson E, Elmasry EM, Elkafrawy P, Neely
M, Bass CR', Sullivan K. Screening for novel central nervous system biomarkers in
veterans with Gulf War Illness. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2017 May;61:36-46.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ntt.2017.03.002. Epub 2017 Mar 9.

GW140169. Oaklander, Anne-Louise, Massachusetts General Hospital, Diagnosis of Late-

Stage, Early-Onset, Small-Fiber Polyneuropathy. Publications:

▪ Roi Treister, Mette Lodahl, Magdalena Lang, Shelley S. Tworoger, Shlomo Sawilowsky, and
Anne Louise Oaklander. Initial Development and Validation of a Patient-Reported
Symptom Survey for Small-Fiber Polyneuropathy. The Journal of Pain, Vol 18(5), May
2017; pp 556-563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2016.12.014

GW150050 & GW150050P1, Krengel, Maxine & Kimberly Sullivan, Boston VA Research
Institute, Inc. (BVARI) & Boston University Medical Campus, Examination of Neuroimaging,
Cognitive Functioning, and Plasma Biomarkers in a Longitudinal Cohort: Fort Devens.
Publications:

▪ Yee MK, Janulewicz PA, Seichepine DR, Sullivan KA, Proctor SP, Krengel MH. Multiple
Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries Are Associated with Increased Rates of Health
Symptoms and Gulf War Illness in a Cohort of 1990–1991 Gulf War Veterans. Gurley
JM, Greenwald BD, eds. Brain Sciences. 2017;7(7):79.
https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci7070079.

GW150076, Shetty, Ashok, Texas A&M University System, Curcumin Nanoparticle Therapy
for Gulf War Illness. Publications:

▪ Kodali M, Hattiangady B, Shetty GA, Bates A, Shuai B, Shetty AK. Curcumin

treatment leads to better cognitive and mood function in a model of Gulf War
Illness with enhanced neurogenesis, and alleviation of inflammation and
mitochondrial dysfunction in the hippocampus. Brain Behav Immun. 2018 Feb 15. pii:
S0889-1591(18)30009-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2018.01.009. PMID: 29454881

GW150116, Coughlin, Steven, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Gulf War Women's Health

Cohort. Publications:

▪ Coughlin SS. 2017. Reproducing Epidemiologic Research and Ensuring Transparency.

Am J Epidemiol 186(4):393-394. https://doi.org/0.1093/aje/kwx065

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▪ Coughlin SS, Krengel M, Sullivan K, et al. 2017, A Review of Epidemiologic Studies of the
Health of Gulf War Women Veterans. J Environ Health Sci. 2017;3(2) Epub 2017 Aug 24.
https://doi.org/10.15436/2378-6841.17.1551

GW150133, Leung, Albert, Veterans Medical Research Foundation of San Diego, Alleviating
Headache and Pain in GWI with Neuronavigation-Guided rTMS. Publications:

▪ Metzger-Smith V, Lei K, Javors J, Golshan S, Leung A. Exposure reporting disparity in

Gulf War Registry–related clinical assessments. SAGE Open Medicine. 2017 Dec 1;
5:2050312117746567. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312117746567.

GW150187, Grace, Peter, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Identification of
Causes and Treatments for Chronic Pain in a Model of Gulf War Illness. Publications:

▪ Lacagnina MJ, Watkins LR, Grace PM, et al, 2017, Toll-like receptors and their role in
persistent pain. Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Oct 4. pii: S0163-7258(17)30243-7.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2017.10.006.