Challenges to the central nervous system during human spaceflight missions to Mars

Clément, Gilles; Boyle, Richard D.; George, K.; Nelson, Gregory A.; Reschke, Millard F.; Williams, Thomas J.; Paloski, William H.

doi:10.1152/jn.00476.2019

Cited by 95 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 226 publications

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“…Based on animal models, CNS responses to spaceflight and simulated GCR irradiation resemble various terrestrial disorders, including normal neurological aging and neurodegeneration (Clé ment et al, 2020). Therefore, GCR exposure might exacerbate aging-related brain damage.…”

Section: Cardiovascular Dysregulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fundamental Biological Features of Spaceflight: Advancing the Field to Enable Deep-Space Exploration

Afshinnekoo

Scott

MacKay

et al. 2020

Cell

260

163

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Research on astronaut health and model organisms have revealed six features of spaceflight biology that guide our current understanding of fundamental molecular changes that occur during space travel. The features include oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysregulation, epigenetic changes (including gene regulation), telomere length alterations, and microbiome shifts. Here we review the known hazards of human spaceflight, how spaceflight affects living systems through these six fundamental features, and the associated health risks of space exploration. We also discuss the essential issues related to the health and safety of astronauts involved in future missions, especially planned long-duration and Martian missions.

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Section: Cardiovascular Dysregulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fundamental Biological Features of Spaceflight: Advancing the Field to Enable Deep-Space Exploration

Afshinnekoo

Scott

MacKay

et al. 2020

Cell

260

163

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“…Finally, HDBR+CO 2 models only some of the effects of spaceflight such as elevated CO 2 levels, body unloading, and fluid shifts towards the head. Moreover, astronauts are faced with additional factors such as more prolonged isolation, disrupted sleep and circadian cycles, radiation, etc (Clement et al, 2020 ). Therefore, it is difficult to generalize HDBR findings broadly to spaceflight.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visuomotor Adaptation Brain Changes During a Spaceflight Analog With Elevated Carbon Dioxide (CO2): A Pilot Study

Salazar

Hupfeld

Lee

et al. 2021

Front. Neural Circuits

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Astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) must adapt to several environmental challenges including microgravity, elevated carbon dioxide (CO2), and isolation while performing highly controlled movements with complex equipment. Head down tilt bed rest (HDBR) is an analog used to study spaceflight factors including body unloading and headward fluid shifts. We recently reported how HDBR with elevated CO2 (HDBR+CO2) affects visuomotor adaptation. Here we expand upon this work and examine the effects of HDBR+CO2 on brain activity during visuomotor adaptation. Eleven participants (34 ± 8 years) completed six functional MRI (fMRI) sessions pre-, during, and post-HDBR+CO2. During fMRI, participants completed a visuomotor adaptation task, divided into baseline, early, late and de-adaptation. Additionally, we compare brain activity between this NASA campaign (30-day HDBR+CO2) and a different campaign with a separate set of participants (60-day HDBR with normal atmospheric CO2 levels, n = 8; 34.25 ± 7.9 years) to characterize the specific effects of CO2. Participants were included by convenience. During early adaptation across the HDBR+CO2 intervention, participants showed decreasing activation in temporal and subcortical brain regions, followed by post- HDBR+CO2 recovery. During late adaptation, participants showed increasing activation in the right fusiform gyrus and right caudate nucleus during HDBR+CO2; this activation normalized to baseline levels after bed rest. There were no correlations between brain changes and adaptation performance changes from pre- to post HDBR+CO2. Also, there were no statistically significant differences between the HDBR+CO2 group and the HDBR controls, suggesting that changes in brain activity were due primarily to bed rest rather than elevated CO2. Five HDBR+CO2 participants presented with optic disc edema, a sign of Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). An exploratory analysis of HDBR+CO2 participants with and without signs of SANS revealed no group differences in brain activity during any phase of the adaptation task. Overall, these findings have implications for spaceflight missions and training, as ISS missions require individuals to adapt to altered sensory inputs over long periods in space. Further, this is the first study to verify the HDBR and elevated CO2 effects on the neural correlates of visuomotor adaptation.

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“…Clément et al 39 United States of America Alteration of cortical electrical activity due to microgravity and stressful situations.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…37,38 In the microgravity, cortical electrical circuits undergo changes resulting from emotional stress in the context of anxiety, monotony, and limited mobility to which astronauts are exposed. 39,40 Also, the deprivation of gravitational force can lead to cellular alterations in the thyroid, such as hyperactivity of the enzyme caspase-3, apoptosis of thyrocytes and decreased sensitivity of the thyrootropin receptor. 38,39 Such glandular alterations reflect in important physiological alterations throughout the body, including in the circadian cycle and in the astronauts' mood.…”

Section: Neuropsychic Dysfunctionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…39,40 Also, the deprivation of gravitational force can lead to cellular alterations in the thyroid, such as hyperactivity of the enzyme caspase-3, apoptosis of thyrocytes and decreased sensitivity of the thyrootropin receptor. 38,39 Such glandular alterations reflect in important physiological alterations throughout the body, including in the circadian cycle and in the astronauts' mood. 38…”

Section: Neuropsychic Dysfunctionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Neuropsychiatric aspects of the space missions: scientific overview of the last 15 years

Cunha¹,

Oliveira²,

Dantas³

et al. 2021

IPMRJ

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Since the first spacecraft mission, space medicine has developed and improved techniques that allowed the treatment and prevention of diseases related to the space environment. An example of this were the screening methods created to exclude astronauts who have high chances of developing health problems during the mission. In addition, the human being in the remote and austere space environment das contraindicated if he had some preexisting pathologies such as coronary heart disease, kidney stones, asthma and epilepsy. Furthermore, the selection of astronauts also takes into account their mental health, with previous psychometric and performance evaluation, in addition to the diagnosis of possible psychiatric pathologies.

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Challenges to the central nervous system during human spaceflight missions to Mars

Cited by 95 publications

References 226 publications

Fundamental Biological Features of Spaceflight: Advancing the Field to Enable Deep-Space Exploration

Fundamental Biological Features of Spaceflight: Advancing the Field to Enable Deep-Space Exploration

Visuomotor Adaptation Brain Changes During a Spaceflight Analog With Elevated Carbon Dioxide (CO2): A Pilot Study

Neuropsychiatric aspects of the space missions: scientific overview of the last 15 years

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