Agent Orange & the Effects on the Brain

Agent orange is a dioxin-containing herbicide sprayed extensively in South Vietnam to defoliate enemy cover during the war. There are links between Agent Orange exposure and nervous system damage in both Vietnam veterans, the Vietnamese and their children.

Peripheral Neuropathy

• Damage to the peripheral nervous system results in confused messages being transmitted between the brain and the rest of the body concerning both sensory messages and motor function.

Parkinson's Disease

• Parkinson's disease is caused by damage to the part of the brain responsible for motor function. These damaged cells deteriorate continuously, resulting in uncontrolled movements and immobility.

Cancer and Tumors

• Research conducted in 2007 at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine has concluded that dioxin has the ability to damage cellular mitochondria, encouraging tumor growth. In contrast, the American Cancer Society states that there is no link between Agent Orange exposure and brain cancer.

Spinal Bifida

• Veterans and locals who were exposed to Agent Orange have an increased risk of producing children with birth defects, including spinal bifida, which leads to lifelong neurological complications.

Mental Retardation

• Research conducted in Vietnam by Dr. Nguyen Viet Nnan on children found that children whose parents were exposed heavily to Agent Orange were more likely to be born mentally retarded.