Objective:

To further characterize the neurologic deficits and movement disorders experienced by Veterans exposed to toxic chemicals while at Camp Lejeune military base.  

Background:

Recent reports revealed that drinking water in the Camp Lejeune military base in North Carolina was contaminated with volatile organic compounds including tricholoroethylene and tetrachloroethylene, among others between 1950’s-1987. Exposure to these agents has been linked to development of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, in the clinical setting at Hines VA Hospital, Veterans displayed not only parkinsonism, but also a variety of other movement and neurological disorders. 

Design/Methods:

A retrospective chart review of Camp Lejeune Veterans seen in the Hines VA neurology clinic within the last year was conducted; this included relevant laboratory and imaging studies, and history and physical examination data. 

Results:

Among 22 Veterans reviewed, 36% had a diagnosis of PD and 13.6% had atypical parkinsonism (PD-ism). Another 23% had primary non-parkinsonian movement disorders, with 63% also having co-incident other movement disorders, the majority of which were hyperkinetic (chorea, dystonia, essential tremor). Within the PD and PD-ism population, 75% of Veterans had another co-incident movement disorder, including essential tremor and dystonia. Of Veterans without PD or movement disorder diagnosis, 92% had symptoms of another neurologic condition, including neuropathy and myasthenia gravis. Autoimmune screens were positive in 13.64% of the total cases reviewed.

Conclusions:

While half of the Veterans reviewed carried a diagnosis of PD or PD-ism, almost a quarter had a primary diagnosis of another movement disorder, most with hyperkinetic features. Further, there was a high prevalence of co-incident neurologic conditions in both the PD and non-PD populations. While we cannot imply causality with exposure to toxins at Camp Lejeune, these data suggest exposure to these toxins are associated with a broader spectrum of neurologic symptoms than previously thought and warrants further study.