ITV investigation links AVM brain condition to blast exposure in Gulf War veterans

An ITV News investigation has found a potential link between the rare brain condition arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and blast exposure in military veterans, after verifying seven cases among those who served after 1990.

The investigation began with the story of Steve Cunningham, a Royal Artillery veteran who was diagnosed with an AVM following years of exposure to blast waves from field guns. AVM causes high-pressure blood to flow directly from arteries into veins, carrying a high risk of rupture and a disabling or fatal brain bleed.

After that report aired, former Royal Marine Glenn said he felt "the hairs on the back of my neck stand up" because he also had an AVM and thought he was a one-off. When he posted his story on Facebook, another veteran, former army soldier Richard Wagner, contacted him saying he had the same mutation.

Both men served in the first Gulf War, Richard in tanks and Glenn on ships near the USS Missouri. They were both later diagnosed with AVMs, and doctors told them the condition was something they had since birth. But there is growing evidence that blast shockwaves could damage blood vessels in the brain.

AVMs can cause headaches, confusion, seizures, and can kill if they burst. Richard opted for brain surgery, while Glenn's AVM burst. He described the pain as unlike anything he had felt, and said depression and dark experiences followed.

The odds of anyone having an AVM are extremely rare, around one in 10,000. ITV News has now confirmed seven cases, all in military veterans who served after 1990. Two were in the Royal Marines, a force of only 16,000 in that period, which is already above average. The investigation notes that the true number could be higher, as many veterans may not have been diagnosed or may not have come forward.

Dr James Stone, who helped NATO develop guidance on the dangers of blast, said there is "biological plausibility" that blast can damage blood vessels within the brain, and that it is a question worth looking into. The chances of this cluster occurring if there was no link between AVM and blast is one in 14,000, according to the investigation.

Both veterans would like to see more thorough tests when people leave the forces, so damage can be detected before it is too late. The Ministry of Defence says it has prioritised the health and wellbeing of service personnel and veterans, and is putting £3.5 million into building the first mobile brain lab, as well as tens of millions into veterans' care.

But those who came forward say it is not just about money, but about focus and priorities. They question why the MOD could not cross-reference military records with NHS records to see once and for all if there is a correlation. The investigation also received reports of other brain conditions, including strokes, aneurysms, and cavernomas, which are even rarer than AVMs. Three confirmed cases of cavernoma have been reported, adding to the sense that these conditions may be the tip of the iceberg.