Stress and Recovery Responses during a 105‐day Ground‐based Space Simulation

Abstract

The present study analysed the time course of the psychological process of stress and recovery in six healthy male volunteers during the Mars 105 experimentation, a 105-day ground-based space analogue. The multidimensional assessment of stress and recovery responses showed that stress levels decreased significantly throughout the 105-day isolated and confined extreme (ICE) experiment, especially on its social dimension. In line with previous studies, Fatigue showed a global and progressive reduction. The present results suggest that ICE exposure may not systematically induce stress overload and impaired psychological states. To optimize adaptation to ICE conditions, further improvements in positive psychological effects may be possible by improving the countermeasures, as well as the screening and selection of participants, in order to enhance coping capacities and to improve the balance of recovery-stress states.

Affective, Social, and Cognitive Outcomes During a 1-Year Wintering in Concordia

“…Several studies of small groups in other isolated environments suggest that prolonged isolation and confinement leads to interpersonal issues and increased social tension (for reviews, see Leon et al, 2011; Palinkas & Suedfeld, 2008; Zimmer, Cabral, Borges, Côco, & Hameister, 2013). These findings are also in agreement with other recent studies in space analogues, the WISE 2005 study, a 60-day head-down tilt long-term bed rest (HDTBD; Nicolas, 2009), and the Mars 105 experiment (Nicolas & Gushin, 2015). Both showed that the social dimension is a key factor in adaptation, especially during prolonged ICE missions that pose difficulties for the participants.…”

“…An appropriate level of stress can improve adaptive responses to constraining or extreme situations (Palinkas, 1992). However, excessive levels or ineffective regulation of stress in ICE could generate dysfunctional adaptation, with detrimental outcomes both in crews’ well-being and performance (Geuna & Brunelli, 1995; Nicolas & Gushin, 2015; Nicolas & Weiss, 2009). For organizations involved in Antarctic operations, such knowledge of potential stressors (physical, emotional, social, and behavioral), recovery regulation, and defense mechanisms (DM) would be useful in two ways: to improve the selection of personnel and to identify countermeasures that could help crews cope with these constraining conditions.…”

Coping with Antarctic demands: Psychological implications of isolation and confinement

“…Stress and coping strategies (cognitive and behavioural resources to deal with stressful situations [Folkman & Moskowitz, 2004]) are frequently studied in Antarctic research yet no consensus has been reached. Some studies observed increased stress towards the end of an annual expedition (Nicolas & Gushin, 2015). Others found that coping strategies decreased during the midwinter period, as opposed to the established view in favor of the use of more active strategies under chronic stress conditions (Sandal, van deVijver, & Smith, 2018).…”

“…Adaptive coping strategies were associated with mature defence mechanisms, while less adaptive coping strategies were linked to symptoms of depression (Nicolas et al, 2013). Accordingly, immature defence mechanisms were positively correlated with total stress and perceived stress during a prolonged confinement period (Nicolas & Gushin, 2015).…”

Human blood adenosine biomarkers and non‐rapid eye movement sleep stage 3 (NREM3) cortical functional connectivity associations during a 30‐day head‐down‐tilt bed rest analogue: Potential effectiveness of a reactive sledge jump as a countermeasure

“…That may be due to the existence of complex human body adaptation mechanisms that sustain or restore homeostasis in response to a simulated microgravity environment. Numerous studies have evoked energy related recovery‐stress states (Nicolas & Gushin, 2015; Nicolas & Weiss, 2009), cardiovascular (Platts et al., 2009; Rabineau et al., 2020) and skeletal (Hu et al., 2014; Rubin et al., 2002) adaptation mechanisms as a reaction to microgravity. Moreover, previously documented RSL‐related adaptation trends, encountering microgravity effects, include the preservation of lean body mass, prevention of partial cardiac deconditioning (Kramer, Gollhofer, et al., 2017), the structure of the skeletal muscle, preservation of phenotype and oxidative potential of the myofibres (Blottner et al., 2020).…”