Effects of Space Travel on the Brain

The Effects of Space on the Brain

The Brain Adjusts To Space Environment

imagesaSince the first manned missions to space, it has been painfully apparent that prolonged time in space is detrimental to an astronaut’s physical well-being. Science has recently brought to light (fueled by NASA recruiting for their upcoming missions) that prolonged time in microgravity like that found on a space station or space shuttle can have major neurological consequences.

While it does not appear that this degeneration affects motor skills, astronauts who spent six months on the International Space Station had a significantly harder time when completing cognitive exercises.

This would make it seem that time spent in space has a negative effect on the brain.

Take a look at the following article to see why that may be the case …

New research finds the mind “reorganizes” itself to adapt to a long space flight.

by Carolyn Gregoire

11/10/2015

… Being stuck in a tiny, microgravity spacecraft for months (or in Scott Kelly’s case, a full year) can seriously mess with an astronaut’s body and brain.

Scientists have found that the physiological stresses of space travel can lead to significant brain changes.

… A recent NASA study used MRI and functional MRI to investigate the brains of astronauts before and after spending six months on the International Space Station. The scientists also gave the astronauts certain motor tasks to complete while aboard the station. So far, they’ve found that a microgravity environment can lead to changes in brain structure and take a serious toll on astronauts’ ability to think. The astronauts have had a more difficult time completing mental tasks and with physical coordination during and after spending time aboard the ISS.

Another study — funded by the European Space Agency and the Russian space agency Roscosmos — found that the brain’s cortex reorganizes itself to adapt to the challenges of a long-duration spaceflight. The preliminary findings, published in the journal Brain Structure and Function in May, are part of a research project that will continue through 2018.

…… Researchers placed 16 astronauts in an MRI scanner before and after their space missions, examining changes in the brain’s connectivity and neural networks. While the research continues, the evidence so far suggests that some areas of the brain can be altered in structure and function after a long space mission. The findings are based on how the body may receive conflicting signals while in space.For instance, while an astronaut’s inner ear may tell the brain that the body is falling, there is no visual input to suggest falling since the astronaut is in an environment with microgravity. Or, the increased fluid in the head may send a signal that the body is up-side down, but there’s no up or down in space.

… “Our results are preliminary, but very promising and interesting,” Van Ombergen said. “This is the first experiment ever investigating the effect of spaceflight on the human brain and we’ll collect more data over the coming years.”

It seems the brain quickly recovers on return to Earth, but this study will be quite important for any long term space travels … like to Mars, or even colonizing the moon.

For the full article you can read more here…


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