The root cause of Gulf War syndrome was most likely the result of a combination of chemical toxins, but recent research has helped narrow down the candidates even further. For years, many veterans and researchers suspected depleted uranium from armor-piercing munitions and tank plating was the main culprit, but a 2020 study from the University of Portsmouth examining uranium levels in patients diagnosed with Gulf War syndrome found that none had been significantly exposed to it.
The mystery appears to have been solved after a 2022 assessment funded by the U.S. government studied more than one thousand Gulf War veterans and concluded that low-level sarin poisoning was the principal cause. The results showed that those with a weaker version of the PON1 gene, which plays an integral role in breaking down toxic chemicals in the body, were about nine times more likely to be diagnosed with Gulf War syndrome. This genetic susceptibility explains why some service members fell ill while others in the same unit remained healthy despite similar exposures.
While the authors of the 2022 study claim to have solved the puzzle, further evaluations will be needed to fully confirm their findings. Even so, this represents a watershed moment for those whose lives have been affected by this debilitating condition. Treatments based on this research are now being developed and could become available in the coming years, offering hope that veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome may eventually recover some sense of normalcy stolen from them by one of the most dangerous nerve agents of the modern era.