Can We Cure Dementia?

In the 1990s, thousands of U.S. veterans returning from combat in the Persian Gulf began suffering from what became known as Gulf War Syndrome, an undiagnosed host of chronic neurological symptoms. During the first Gulf War, deployed soldiers had been prescribed a daily dose of the drug pyridostigmine as a prophylactic against nerve gas because it was feared that Iraqi forces would resort to chemical attacks against invading troops. Although no such attack occurred, soldiers reported symptoms including headaches, dizziness, and memory problems.