What is the mysterious Havana syndrome that causes American diplomats to get dizzy and pass out in embassies?

He Havana syndrome is a picture of a medical symptom that owes its name to a phenomenon experienced by 21 Diplomats of the US Embassy in Cuba. Suddenly, this group of people started hearing high-pitched noises along with other symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, headache, earache and memory loss. In 2020, the situation repeated itself, this time in China. Many of these symptoms are similar to those experienced by people with concussions or traumatic brain injuries, but in many cases there are no obvious signs of physical injuries.

This clinical picture has sparked various debates in the scientific community due to its mysterious nature Lack of medical evidence. However, some studies have suggested that it may be related to exposure to pulses of electromagnetic or microwave energy, which has led to speculation about possible attacks with directed energy weapons. These theories are the subject of controversy and have been denied by the governments of Cuba and China.

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For this reason, every advance regarding this syndrome is received with great interest, both by the medical community and much of diplomacy. Thus, a team of American researchers led by the National Institute of Health (NIH) has revealed this. There is no difference significant in Brain scan or other biological tests between individuals with Havana syndrome and healthy people who do not suffer from this syndrome.

However, these results have been published in a journal JamaWhile providing little information on possible biological explanations for the symptoms, the authors highlight the need to consider multiple factors when interpreting these findings. The absence of evidence of MRI-detectable disparities between individuals with Havana syndrome and controls does not rule out the possibility. adverse event which affects the brain during the onset of the syndrome,” says Carlo Pierpaoli, an NIH neuroscientist and lead author of the study.

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Researchers tested a variety of MRI scans to assess brain volume, structure and function in 81 participants affected by Havana syndrome, comparing them to 48 healthy individuals, 29 of whom had similar occupations, although they did not report symptoms of the syndrome. The researchers used multiple methods and models to analyze the data. Despite its broad approach, the team Could not detect persistent anomalies in images that would allow us to differentiate between people with Havana syndrome and healthy controls.

Previous research published in 2019, which compared a small sample of people with Havana syndrome and controls, found significant differences in the amount of White matter and reduced functional connectivity In auditory and visual brain areas. Although this latest research does not support these findings, it does recognize that people with Havana syndrome reported More balance problems and elevated levels of fatigue, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder compared to the control group.

“People with Hawaii syndrome may experience the consequences of the event that triggered their symptoms, but long-term neuroimaging changes caused by trauma are not typically seen after severe trauma or stroke. We hope these results provide additional information about the association of Hawaii syndrome with severe neurodegenerative changes in the brain. eases concerns,” Pierpaoli explains. However, NIH public health scientist and acting chief scientific officer Leighton Chan concluded that “recognizing that these symptoms are very real is crucial, because Significant disruptions in the lives of those affected

And they can be long-lasting, disabling and difficult to treat.”

Despite the specificity surrounding Havana syndrome, those affected have experienced it Significant consequences on your health and well-being. Many have left their posts at embassies and sought medical treatment to relieve their symptoms.