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Reddy DS, Wu X, Singh T, Neff M. Experimental Models of Gulf War Illness, a Chronic Neuropsychiatric Disorder in Veterans. Curr Protoc 2023; 3:e707. [PMID: 36947687 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Gulf War illness (GWI) is a chronic multifaceted condition with debilitating pain and fatigue, as well as sleep, behavioral, and cognitive impairments in war veterans. Currently, there is no effective treatment or cure for GWI; therefore, there is a critical need to develop experimental models to help better understand its mechanisms and interventions related to GWI-associated neuropsychiatric disorders. Chemical neurotoxicity appears to be one cause of GWI, and its symptoms manifest as disruptions in neuronal function. However, the mechanisms underlying such incapacitating neurologic and psychiatric symptoms are poorly understood. The etiology of GWI is complex, and many factors including chemical exposure, psychological trauma, and environmental stressors have been associated with its development. Attempts have been made to create GWI-like symptomatic models, including through chronic induction in mice and rats. Here, we present a brief protocol of GWI in rats and mice, which exhibit robust neuropsychiatric signs and neuropathologic changes reminiscent of GWI. This article provides a guide to working protocols, application of therapeutic drugs, outcomes, troubleshooting, and data analysis. Our broad profiling of GWI-like symptoms in rodents reveals features of progressive morphologic and long-lasting neuropsychiatric features. Together, the GWI model in rodents shows striking consistency in recapitulating major hallmark features of GWI in veterans. These models help identify mechanisms and interventions for GWI. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Experimental induction of Gulf War illness in rats Support Protocol 1: Monitoring of Gulf War illness signs and neuroimaging analysis in rats Basic Protocol 2: Experimental induction of Gulf War illness in mice Support Protocol 2: Monitoring of Gulf War illness signs and neuropathology analysis in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doodipala Samba Reddy
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
- Institute of Pharmacology and Neurotherapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
- School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed), Texas A&M University, Houston, Texas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Xin Wu
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
- Institute of Pharmacology and Neurotherapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Tanveer Singh
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
- Institute of Pharmacology and Neurotherapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Michael Neff
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
- Institute of Pharmacology and Neurotherapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
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Sarlo GL, Kao A, Holton KF. Investigation of the low glutamate diet as an adjunct treatment for pediatric epilepsy: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Seizure 2023; 106:138-147. [PMID: 36867910 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Current dietary therapies for epilepsy have side effects and are low in nutrients, which would make an alternative dietary treatment, which addresses these issues, advantageous. One potential option is the low glutamate diet (LGD). Glutamate is implicated in seizure activity. Blood brain barrier permeability in epilepsy could enable dietary glutamate to reach the brain and contribute to ictogenesis. OBJECTIVE to assess the LGD as an adjunct treatment for pediatric epilepsy. METHODS This study was a nonblinded, parallel, randomized clinical trial. The study was conducted virtually due to COVID-19 and registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04545346). Participants were eligible if they were between the ages of 2 and 21 with ≥4 seizures per month. Baseline seizures were assessed for 1-month, then participants were allocated via block randomization to the intervention month (N=18), or a wait-listed control month followed by the intervention month (N=15). Outcome measures included seizure frequency, caregiver global impression of change (CGIC), non-seizure improvements, nutrient intake, and adverse events. RESULTS Nutrient intake significantly increased during the intervention. No significant differences in seizure frequency were observed between intervention and control groups. However, efficacy was assessed at 1-month compared to the standard 3-months in diet research. Additionally, 21% of participants were observed to be clinical responders to the diet. Overall health (CGIC) significantly improved in 31%, 63% experienced ≥1 non-seizure improvements, and 53% experienced adverse events. Clinical response likelihood decreased with increasing age (0.71 [0.50-0.99], p=0.04), as did the likelihood of overall health improvement (0.71 [0.54-0.92], p=0.01). DISCUSSION This study provides preliminary support for the LGD as an adjunct treatment before epilepsy becomes drug resistant, which is in contrast to the role of current dietary therapies in drug resistant epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle L Sarlo
- Department of Neuroscience, Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience Program, American University, Washington DC, United States; Children's National Research Institute, Center for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Amy Kao
- Division of Neurophysiology, Epilepsy, and Critical Care, Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States; Division of Neurology 2, Office of Neuroscience, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Kathleen F Holton
- Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington DC, United States; Department of Neuroscience, American University, Washington DC, United States; Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, American University, Washington DC, United States.
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Carpenter JM, Brown KA, Veltmaat L, Ludwig HD, Clay KB, Norberg T, Harn DA, Wagner JJ, Filipov NM. Evaluation of delayed LNFPIII treatment initiation protocol on improving long-term behavioral and neuroinflammatory pathology in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness. Brain Behav Immun Health 2022; 26:100553. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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Langan MT, Kirkland AE, Rice LC, Mucciarone VC, Baraniuk J, VanMeter A, Holton KF. Low glutamate diet improves working memory and contributes to altering BOLD response and functional connectivity within working memory networks in Gulf War Illness. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18004. [PMID: 36289291 PMCID: PMC9606252 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21837-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness is a chronic multi-symptom disorder with severe cognitive impairments which may be related to glutamate excitotoxicity and central nervous system dysfunction. The low glutamate diet has been proposed as a comprehensive intervention for Gulf War Illness. We examined the effects of the low glutamate diet on verbal working memory using a fMRI N-back task. Accuracy, whole-brain blood oxygen level dependency (BOLD) response, and task-based functional connectivity were assessed at baseline and after 1 month on the diet (N = 24). Multi-voxel pattern analysis identified regions of whole-brain BOLD pattern differences after the diet to be used as seeds for subsequent seed-to-voxel functional connectivity analyses. Verbal working memory accuracy improved after the diet (+ 13%; p = 0.006). Whole-brain BOLD signal changes were observed, revealing lower activation within regions of the frontoparietal network and default mode network after the low glutamate diet. Multi-voxel pattern analysis resulted in 3 clusters comprising parts of the frontoparietal network (clusters 1 and 2) and ventral attention network (cluster 3). The seed-to-voxel analyses identified significant functional connectivity changes post-diet for clusters 1 and 2 (peak p < 0.001, cluster FDR p < 0.05). Relative to baseline, clusters 1 and 2 had decreased functional connectivity with regions in the ventral attention and somatomotor networks. Cluster 2 also had increased functional connectivity with regions of the default mode and frontoparietal networks. These findings suggest that among veterans with Gulf War Illness, the low glutamate diet improves verbal working memory accuracy, alters BOLD response, and alters functional connectivity within two networks central to working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna E Kirkland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Laura C Rice
- Department of Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Veronica C Mucciarone
- Department of Neurology, Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - James Baraniuk
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ashley VanMeter
- Department of Neurology, Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kathleen F Holton
- Department of Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, USA.
- Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington, DC, USA.
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, American University, Washington, DC, USA.
- Nutritional Neuroscience Lab, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA.
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Kates A, Keating J, Baubie K, Putman-Buehler N, Watson L, Godfrey J, Deblois CL, Suen G, Cook DB, Rabago D, Gangnon R, Safdar N. Examining the association between the gastrointestinal microbiota and Gulf War illness: A prospective cohort study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268479. [PMID: 35901037 PMCID: PMC9333223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) affects 25–35% of the 1991 Gulf War Veteran (GWV) population. Patients with GWI experience pain, fatigue, cognitive impairments, gastrointestinal dysfunction, skin disorders, and respiratory issues. In longitudinal studies, many patients with GWI have shown little to no improvement in symptoms since diagnosis. The gut microbiome and diet play an important role in human health and disease, and preliminary studies suggest it may play a role in GWI. To examine the relationship between the gut microbiota, diet, and GWI, we conducted an eight-week prospective cohort study collecting stool samples, medications, health history, and dietary data. Sixty-nine participants were enrolled into the study, 36 of which met the case definition for GWI. The gut microbiota of participants, determined by 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples, was stable over the duration of the study and showed no within person (alpha diversity) differences. Between group analyses (beta diversity) identified statistically significant different between those with and without GWI. Several taxonomic lineages were identified as differentially abundant between those with and without GWI (n = 9) including a greater abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae in those without GWI. Additionally, there were taxonomic differences between those with high and low healthy eating index (HEI) scores including a greater abundance of Ruminococcaceae in those with higher HEI scores. This longitudinal cohort study of GWVs found that participants with GWI had significantly different microbiomes from those without GWI. Further studies are needed to determine the role these differences may play in the development and treatment of GWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Kates
- Research, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Julie Keating
- Research, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Kelsey Baubie
- Research, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Nathan Putman-Buehler
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Lauren Watson
- SSM Health, St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Jared Godfrey
- Research, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Courtney L. Deblois
- Research, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Bacteriology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Garret Suen
- Department of Bacteriology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Dane B. Cook
- Research, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - David Rabago
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Penn State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ronald Gangnon
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Nasia Safdar
- Research, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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