Assessing Neuroinflammation in GWI Using MRS

The primary aim of this study is to determine if Gulf War Illness (GWI) likely involves neuroinflammation. The investigators hypothesize that GWI involves neuroinflammation. By assessing the five neuroinflammatory outcomes across the brain, the investigators can determine if there are focal or global signs of one or more neuroinflammatory markers in the brains of individuals with GWI. This neuroimaging technique may allow investigators and others to detect cases of GWI neuroinflammation, which would improve treatment decisions as well as the development of new targeted therapies. It is an ideal diagnostic tool because it has low patient risk, is noninvasive, can be used repeatedly in longitudinal studies, provides whole-brain coverage, yields multiple independent markers of inflammation, and can be employed at most hospitals and research neuroimaging suites.