Top intelligence officials to undergo voluntary brain imaging amid 'Havana Syndrome' mystery
Top government intelligence officials will soon have the option to undergo baseline brain scans before serving overseas after President Biden recently signed legislation to help find the cause of a mysterious illness known as Havana Syndrome.
The House Intelligence Committee approved a bipartisan proposal late last month, the New York Times first reported, providing added resources to find the cause of these auditory attacks, with symptoms mimicking those of a traumatic brain injury. Part of that includes voluntary brain scans for CIA officers assigned oversees and lab work to help doctors determine if future injuries match the side effects of Havana Syndrome.
President Biden signed the Havana Act on Oct. 8, requiring the CIA and State Department to enact rules for paying victims of attacks, which first began in Cuba’s capital in 2016.
“The absence of knowing the baseline impairs the diagnosis,” Rep. Adam B. Schiff, D-Calif. and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told the Times in a Sept. 30 report. “People have different baselines and it would be useful to know what those look like, to see how things have changed.”
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.