Position statements - Gulf War syndrome

Position statements

Statement on Gulf War Service and MND

The Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association exists to support people with MND, their families and carers, and to fund and promote research towards finding a cause of and cure for the disease.

The Association welcomes all research carried out into the causes of MND and is therefore interested in any studies investigating a link between Gulf War service and the disease.

The new study from the US Institute of Medicine¹ analyses a limited body of evidence that suggests there may be an association between military service and MND. However, the authors have said they could not reach more definitive conclusions, and that further research was needed to confirm the link. In addition, a study² published in 2002 found "no evidence of ALS in Gulf War troops" .

Until further research has been undertaken, peer reviewed and published, it is not possible for the MND Association to take an informed view on the existence of a link.

The MND Association funds a significant amount of research into the causes of MND and currently supports around 20 research projects.

¹Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Veterans: Review of the Scientific Literature, of , of Sciences. The report can be found at www.nap.edu.

² Sharief et al Neurology 2002; 59:1518-1525