Effect of long space travels on astronauts investigated

Humanity is entering a new era of space exploration, where long space flights are inevitable. This could pose major risks to the health of future astronauts, in ways ranging from reducing bone density to causing changes in brain function.

30 astronauts’ brains studied

To identify these risks and the implications of current missions, a team of University of Florida researchers is trying to elucidate how the brain responds to long spaceflights. In the study, data of 30 astronauts who went into space before and after brain scans were collected. Eight of these astronauts went to space for a two-week, 18 six-month and four-year mission.

When the before and after images were compared, changes in the ventricles of the brain were observed. Ventricles are interconnected chambers that contain cerebrospinal fluid to cushion the brain. In addition, the ventricles provide nourishment to the brain and removal of wastes. With a longer stay in a low-gravity environment, this fluid tends to move upward, causing the ventricles to expand. In the presence of gravity, this fluid can be evenly distributed in the brain.

Some astronauts’ brains did not return to normal

The study revealed that astronauts who go on longer missions of at least six months have greater ventricular enlargement. Moreover, the size of the ventricles of the seven astronauts who had less than three years between missions did not return to normal. The study shows that after prolonged missions, astronauts should wait at least three years to allow the ventricles to fully heal.

Rachael Seidler, professor of physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida, one of the study’s authors, said in a press release, “We found that the more time humans spend in space, the larger their ventricles. Many astronauts travel to space more than once, and our study required about three years between flights for the ventricles to fully heal. is showing.”

How does the human brain adapt to a gravity-free environment?

The study also revealed that short trips into space may not cause major changes in the brain. This is good news for the future of space tourism. In those who stayed in space longer, ventricular enlargement decreased after six months. “Considering that humans will eventually stay in space longer, we’re happy to see that the changes are not exponential,” Seidler added.

As a result, astronauts flying to Mars, which will take about 800 to 1,000 days, can become accustomed to long-duration journeys.

On the other hand, the team argues that the long-term effects of ventricular enlargement are still unclear. Shedding light on changes in the brain and their possible consequences could be critical to the success of future deep space human missions. However, the research is critical to understanding how the human brain adapts and responds to a zero-gravity environment. In the long term, the creation of artificial gravity-based spacecraft may be an approach to keeping astronauts healthy during these long journeys.