Actively Recruiting
NIH Investigative Deep Phenotyping Study of Gulf War Veteran Health (Project NIH IN-DEPTH)
Led by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) · Updated on 2026-06-08
85
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are studying Gulf War Illness (GWI), a condition affecting many U.S. veterans who served in the Middle East during 1990-1991. Symptoms include fatigue, muscle and joint pain, memory issues, headaches, rashes, and sleep problems. This observational study aims to better understand GWI by comparing veterans with the illness to healthy Gulf War veterans. It is part of a collaboration with the Veterans' Administration and explores similarities with chronic fatigue syndrome. Participants will stay at the NIH Clinical Center as inpatients for about 14 days. During this time, they will undergo many evaluations including blood draws, urine, saliva, and stool sample collections. They will have brain, muscle, bone density, and body scans, plus exercise stress and muscle strength tests. Sleep studies and tests of brain, heart, and lung function will be performed. Some may have optional tests like skin and muscle biopsies. After discharge, participants will wear activity monitors and keep a symptom diary for two weeks. Throughout the study, participants will complete surveys about their activities, emotional and mental health, thinking, memory, and behavior. Researchers will measure clinical and biological features to explore immune, metabolic, and nervous system functions. The study will compare veterans with GWI, healthy controls, and data from a related chronic fatigue syndrome study. The total participation involves inpatient evaluations plus two weeks of monitoring after discharge.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
NIH Investigative Deep Phenotyping Study of Gulf War Veteran Health (Project NIH IN-DEPTH)
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Ability to provide informed consent
- Willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the study duration
- Age between 48 and 70 years at enrollment
- Veterans deployed to the Gulf Region between August 1990 and June 1991
- Completed at least seventh grade of school
- Fluent in English speaking, reading, and understanding
- Eligible as determined by the VA IN-DEPTH Adjudication Committee
- Agree not to smoke within 4 hours before the exercise stress test
You will not qualify if you...
- Current or past psychotic disorders including psychotic depression, bipolar disorder with psychosis, and schizophrenia
- Current major depression, generalized anxiety, PTSD, panic disorder, or OCD unless stable for over six months
- Substance use disorder within last five years except past marijuana use
- Current suicidal thoughts
- History of moderate or severe traumatic brain injury
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or within one year postpartum
- Current or past malignancy except fully resolved with surgery only
- Current systemic immune disorders (local or allergic disorders allowed)
- Current or past long-term immune suppressive therapy; no steroid use within one month
- Medical conditions making study risky (e.g., heart failure, coronary artery disease, severe asthma)
- Participation in other clinical protocols affecting study results
- Inability to perform bicycling exercise test
- Unwillingness to share data and samples broadly
- Symptom severity preventing travel to NIH
- Use of high-risk withdrawal medications like long-acting opiates or benzodiazepines
- Pacemakers or metal implants for those undergoing certain tests
- History of seizure disorder for TMS testing
- Metal in body making MRI unsafe or claustrophobia
- Inability to lie on back for up to 2 hours
- Healthy controls meeting criteria for Gulf War Illness
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Typically 14 days
Participants undergo deep phenotyping evaluations including questionnaires, medical procedures such as exercise testing, history and physical examination, and laboratory evaluation of samples to explore clinical and biological phenotypes.
1 inpatient study visit lasting about 14 days
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
A
Angelique A Gavin
B
Brian T Walitt, M.D.
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
2
Similar Trials
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions? Get in touch with our team for quick support
Not the Right Trial for You?
Explore thousands of other clinical trials that might be a better match.
Sign up to get personalized trial recommendations delivered to your inbox.
Already have an account? Log in here