January 16, 2003 (Cox News Service) -- More on war:
A combination of chemicals given to protect Gulf War soldiers against deadly diseases and nerve gas might have inadvertently damaged their testes and sperm production, according to animal experiments at Duke University Medical Center.
The new study could explain why some veterans have experienced infertility, sexual dysfunction and other symptoms, according to Mohamed Abou Donia, a Duke pharmacologist.
Soldiers were given three chemicals to protect them against insect-borne diseases and nerve-gas poisoning: the insect repellent DEET, the insecticide permethrin and the anti-nerve gas agent pyridostigmine bromide.
In a study designed to mimic those conditions, Abou Donia and his colleagues gave rats equivalent doses to what the soldiers received. When given together, the chemicals caused extensive cell degeneration and cell death with various structures of the testes, he found. The damage was more severe among rats that were also exposed to moderately stressful situations.
Results of the study, financed by the Department of Defense, were published in the Jan. 10 issue of The Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.
MEMORY HELP
Research shows that making simple lifestyle choices can help you prevent and reverse memory problems, according to Natural Health Magazine's January/February issue.
Articles focus on making chocolate and caffeine choices to help you remember information, learning how sleep boosts your memory, and exercising to enhance your sleep quality and improve your memory.
Copyright 2003 Cox News Service. All rights reserved.
