An array of advanced tests found no brain injuries or degeneration among U.S. diplomats and other government employees who suffer mysterious health problems once dubbed "Havana syndrome," researchers reported Monday.Tourists ride classic convertible cars on the Malecon beside the U.S. Embassy in Havana, on Oct. 3, 2017. An array of advanced tests found no brain injuries or degeneration among U.S.
"These individuals have real symptoms and are going through a very tough time," said Dr. Leighton Chan, NIH's chief of rehabilitation medicine, who helped lead the research. "They can be quite profound, disabling and difficult to treat." The findings are the latest in an effort to unravel a mystery that began when personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cuba began seeking medical care for hearing loss and ear-ringing after reporting sudden weird noises.
Last year, U.S. intelligence agencies said there was no sign a foreign adversary was involved and that most cases appeared to have different causes, from undiagnosed illnesses to environmental factors.While that couldn't rule out some transient injury when symptoms began, researchers said it's good news that they couldn't spot long-term markers on brain scans that are typical after trauma or stroke.