New Research Reveals the Surprising Effects of Extended Space Flight on Astronauts’ Brains

scitechdaily ^ | MAY 5, 2022 | OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY

[BenLurkin]

The research involved imaging the brains of 15 astronauts before and after extended tours of duty on the International Space Station.

Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to measure perivascular space — or the space around blood vessels — in the brains of astronauts prior to their launch and again immediately after their return. They also took MRI measurements again at one, three, and six months after they had returned. Astronauts’ images were compared with those taken of the same perivascular space in the brains of 16 Earth-bound control subjects.

In all cases, scientists found no problems with balance or visual memories that might suggest neurological deficits among astronauts, despite the differences measured in the perivascular spaces of their brains.

These spaces are integral to a natural system of brain cleansing that occurs during sleep. Known as the glymphatic system, this brain-wide network clears metabolic proteins that would otherwise build up in the brain. Scientists say this system seems to perform optimally during deep sleep.

The perivascular spaces measured in the brain amount to the underlying “hardware” of the glymphatic system. Enlargement of these spaces occurs in aging, and also has been associated with the development of dementia.

[allendale]

Examine the astronauts who spent at least four months in space thirty years from now and then some things may become apparent.

[Dave Wright]

Zero or low gravity effects also include impeding or preventing blood clotting. Even small cuts can cause excessive bleeding and don’t heal until the astronauts return to Earth. No one so far has had any kind of minor surgical procedure in space due to the possibility of blood loss. Also, antibiotics don’t seem to be effective in space making even minor bacterial infections very dangerous.

Add to this the risks of cancer from high radiation and solar flares and it is clear that long term space travel for humans is not practical without new medical treatments and artificial gravity environments.

[Red Badger]

[GingisK]

Thirty or forty years on there might be changes observed after eating broccoli as well. Time always matters, and the side affects from common things might not be known. Life is a crap shoot.

Given the opportunity, I'd go into space even on a generation ship.

[lgjhn23]

Hey, IF it will help with the chronic, no-cure, mental disease known as liberalism, I have a great idea!!!! /s

[ThunderSleeps]

Zero or low gravity effects also include impeding or preventing blood clotting.

Huh... How about that. That was a sub-plot for several episodes of the sci-fi show "The Expanse." I thought it was written in just for dramatic purposes to get several different groups cooperating to save their backsides... Learn something new every day.

[Telepathic Intruder]

It should be easy to just spin something on the end of a tether with a counterweight, although for space stations it would complicate docking. But the only reason we even have a space station is for zero g research, so that would be self-defeating.

[woodbutcher1963]

The other effect all astronauts experience is a change in the shape of their eyeballs resulting in becoming near sited at least temporarily.

I was explained this by a NASA manager of grant money. I sat next to him on a airplane a few years back. He was returning from a visit to Dartmouth College where they were conducting that research.

The biggest problem with extended space travel is the radiation exposure and effects of zero gravity to the human body. It is the main reason why we have not sent people to Mars.

[Dave Wright]

The issue is that the blood flows in ways in zero-g that prevent it from forming the necessary micro-clots. Here’s a good article that explains much of the known research.

https://www.wired.com/story/zero-g-blood-and-the-many-horrors-of-space-surgery/

[Rappini]

My solution would be to stop sending up Demorat Astronauts.

[imardmd1]

I'd never get cooped up in a cigar tube out of necessity out in that great open empty airless space. Not even here on earth in a solitary jail cell. Here;s my desire, as a country boy:

==========

Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze,
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.

Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies.
On my cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise.

I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
Gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in.

No sir-ree! No fences, no cramping, no squeezing in a tube, but lots and lots of elbow room, my FRiend!

[Wuli]

Manned missions to plant a station on Mars are premature, premature to our level of understanding everything about what is really needed for such a mission.

Learn to walk before learning to run.

We should use about twenty years of experience building and using a base on the moon and an orbiting platform halfway between the earth and the moon as a launch platform for very long distance space travel.

Atfer all of that we may have discovered enough, decided enough and designed enough things to make manned missions to Mars much, much. better and safer than we can today.

[Carthego delenda est]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KNtEkP_lObk

Actually, I’d really be humbled and ecstatic if I were asked to go into “that great empty airless space”.

[GingisK]

I’m talking about a “generation ship” as described in science fiction novels. Some stories had them so large that the terminal generation didn’t realize they were on a ship.

[imardmd1]

Yeah, I read a lot of them, back in my days, ‘50s and ‘60s. Earth is just another big ship, isn’t it? (Looking at things from a theological point of view).