Abstract

Abstract Summary

Overview

In 2016, several diplomatic personnel in Havana reported experiencing auditory sensations followed by severe and continuing neurological symptoms that resemble brain injuries. This phenomenon, known as Anomalous Health Incidents (AHI), is investigated in this study through a comprehensive network model of bio-behavioral pathways.

Methodology

• Employment of text-mining of over 9,000 publications, resulting in a network with 273 regulatory interactions linking 29 neuro-chemical markers to 9 neuropsychological constructs.
• Analytic assessment of data flow within this network, establishing regulatory principles closely matching the neuropsychological profiles of 6 affected subjects.

Findings

The analysis suggests elevated levels of certain neuro-chemical markers like IL-1B, IL-10, NGF, and norepinephrine, alongside depressed expressions of BDNF, GDNF, IGF1, and glutamate. Notably, all subjects consistently exhibited elevated CRH and IL-6 levels.

Simulations predict that affected individuals are not permanently impaired but are on a recovery trajectory, albeit slowly.

Conclusion

This computational study posits that the neuropsychological disruptions, akin to those seen in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), could be partially explained by disturbances in neuroimmune and neurotransmitter regulatory mechanisms.