A team of doctors has concluded that mysterious ailments plaguing U.S. diplomatic personnel in Cuba—injuries attributed to mysterious "sonic weaponry"—are real and resemble traumatic brain injuries.

A preliminary report prepared by doctors from the University of Pennsylvania states that 24 State Department personnel sent to Cuba have sustained “injury to widespread brain networks.” The reports does not conclusively call out the cause of the injuries. You can read the Journal of the American Medical Association report here.

Ars Technica reports that the Penn scientists who did the study compare the symptoms to those from concussions—but without an actual physical, documented event that caused them. The injuries were sustained by some of the first diplomatic personnel to enter Cuba after the U.S. decided to restore diplomatic relations with the island country in 2014. Cuba was a client state of the Soviet Union and was under diplomatic and economic embargo by the United States for decades.

Of 21 individuals who participated in the study, a 76 percent of them described themselves as having difficulty remembering and being in a “mental fog,” and 71 percent had difficulty concentrating. A full 67 percent reported “irritability, balance problems,” while an equal percentage reported difficulty falling asleep and sound sensitivity. A majority also reported other problems, including light sensitivity, drowsiness or fatigue, tinnitus, difficulty reading, and “visual problems.”

Many of those experiencing these symptoms reported hearing strange sounds, from “buzzing” to “piercing squeals,” that seemed directed at individuals. Afterwards, the individuals reported strange, seemingly neurologically-based ailments. The University of Pennsylvania team concluded that mass hallucinations, viruses, or chemical agents were unlikely causes. The events ceased in 2016, after they were made public.

One theory that has gained traction is American the diplomats were victims of an attack via a sonic weapon by elements of the Cuban government who were unhappy about political reconciliation with the United States. Cuban officials have been adamant they had nothing to do with the affair. Furthermore, it seems unlike that Cuba, not exactly a hotbed of technology, was able to develop such an advanced weapon on its own.

Another theory is that Russian President Vladimir Putin, himself an ex-KGB agent, resorted to dirty tricks again, using a sonic weapon developed by the Soviet Union or Russia. This seems more plausible, as Putin is known to pine for the return of the Soviet sphere of influence, of which Cuba was one jewel in the crown. Still, there is little hard evidence that an actual weapon is involved. Until a major revelation is made on the political front or doctors are able to pinpoint an origin, it is very likely the source of these injuries will remain a mystery.

Source: Ars Technica.

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