Mission-critical tasks for assessing risks from vestibular and sensorimotor adaptation during space exploration

To properly assess the risk induced by vestibular and sensorimotor adaptation during exploration missions, we examined how long-duration stays on the International Space Station affect functional performance after gravity transitions. Mission-critical tasks that challenge the balance and the locomot...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in physiology 2022-11, Vol.13, p.1029161-1029161
Main Authors: Clément, Gilles, Moudy, Sarah C, Macaulay, Timothy R, Bishop, Michael O, Wood, Scott J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adaptation
functional performance
Physiology
sensorimotor system
spaceflight
vestibular tests
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Summary:To properly assess the risk induced by vestibular and sensorimotor adaptation during exploration missions, we examined how long-duration stays on the International Space Station affect functional performance after gravity transitions. Mission-critical tasks that challenge the balance and the locomotion control systems were assessed: i.e., sit-to-stand, recovery-from-fall, tandem-walk, and walk-and-turn. We assessed 19 astronauts, including 7 first-time flyers and 12 experienced flyers, before their flight, a few hours after landing, and then 1 day and 6-11 days later. Results show that adaptation to long-term weightlessness causes deficits in functional performance immediately after landing that can last for up to 1 week. No differences were observed between first-time and experienced astronaut groups. These data suggest that additional sensorimotor-based countermeasures may be necessary to maintain functional performance at preflight levels when landing on planetary surfaces after a long period in weightlessness.
ISSN:1664-042X
1664-042X
DOI:10.3389/fphys.2022.1029161