Is Gulf War Illness a Prolonged Early Phase Tauopathy?

The work of the Gulf War Illness (GWI) Consortium and that of basic and clinical researchers across the USA have resulted in a better understanding in recent years of the pathological basis of GWI, as well as of the mechanisms underlying the disorder. Among the most concerning symptoms suffered by veterans with GWI are cognitive decrements including those related to memory functioning. These decrements are not severe enough to meet dementia criteria, but there is significant concern that the mild cognitive impairment of these veterans will progress to dementia as they become older. Recent studies on GWI using human brain organoids as well as a rat model suggest that one potential cause of the cognitive problems may be elevated levels of tau in the brain, and this is supported by high levels of tau autoantibodies in the blood of veterans with GWI. There is urgency in finding treatments and preventive strategies for these veterans before they progress to dementia, with added value in doing so because their current status may represent an early phase of tauopathy common to many neurodegenerative diseases.