Being in space for long periods of time is terrible for your brain, say the scientists

While commercial space contractors like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos see space travel as a normal part of humanity's future, medical researchers are beginning to understand that the human body – and especially the brain – is not not designed to float in weightlessness for a long time. Of course, astronauts are generally in pretty good shape, but remember that these are people who are selected in part for their excellent physical health, far from the average citizen who may aspire to space tourism.

Today, two researchers have published an editorial in the neurology issue of the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), highlighting the alarm about the impact of microgravity on the human brain.

Donna Roberts, MD, a neuroradiologist at the University of Medicine of South Carolina (MUSC), co-authored the article and published previous research on the condition known as the & # & & & & d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d hydrocephalus badociated with long-term space flight (HALS), said in a statement in particular, a lack of understanding about how a long-term space travel – that is, more five months – can have an impact on the brain. Hydrocephalus occurs when there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the deep cavities of the brain, which is absorbed into the bloodstream. An excess of this fluid can put pressure on the brain, damage brain tissue and impair brain function.

"We know that these long-haul flights wreak havoc on astronauts and cosmonauts. However, we do not know if the adverse effects on the body continue to progress or stabilize after a certain time in space, "said Roberts. "We need to know if HALS represents an adaptive response or pathological process that needs to be mitigated, perhaps by simulated gravity."

In this article, Roberts and his co-author, Lonnie G. Petersen, MD, PhD, of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of California at San Diego, recognize that the hydrodynamics of cerebrospinal fluid " is complex and is not completely understood.

"We and others have documented the enlargement of the liquid-filled cerebral ventricular system in astronauts following long-term missions (more than 5 months) on the International Space Station, compared to the normal appearance of the brain and ventricles before spaceflight, "the authors explain. "Astronauts who performed short missions (1 to 2 weeks) in a space shuttle did not demonstrate significant change in ventricular volume of imaging before flight to imaging after flight."

A modification of the cerebral structure due to the absence of gravity indicates an "unrecognized gravitational dependence", explain the authors. In other words, the human brain probably needs the gravity of the Earth or a comparable planet to function properly for a prolonged period.

"We need to know if HALS represents an adaptive response or pathological process that needs to be mitigated, perhaps by simulated gravity," Roberts said in a statement. "All of our astronauts should have tests and studies to monitor what's going on in their brains before and immediately after a space flight, with long-term monitoring and surveillance."

"The HALS study will provide new insights into the effects of gravitational stress on the brain and improve our understanding not only of this phenomenon, but also of similar brain fluid disorders on Earth," she added.

In previous research, Roberts discovered that astronauts who had been traveling for more than five months were undergoing significant changes in brain structure, particularly with the frontal and parietal lobes responsible for body movement. She concluded that the longer astronauts stayed in space, the more the symptoms worsened. This could be dangerous for astronauts when they return to Earth, but also when they are in space.

"Alternatively, HALS can prove to be deleterious and gradual for crews participating in longer-duration interplanetary missions," said Roberts and his co-author in the JAMA article.

At the same time, commercial space operators are keen to see the space tourism boom begin. Last year, SpaceX announced that it would make tourists travel around the moon in 2023, at the request of Japanese billionaire Yusaka Maezaw. There is also much talk about a trip to Mars, which could last for about nine months or even three years. In the meantime, there is no research at all on how the human brain would live on a planet of lower gravity, like Mars, which has much less mbad than the Earth and therefore represents only 37% of the planet. Gravitational acceleration of the Earth.

"The astronauts' experience in space needs to be mitigated to make space travel safer. As in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: Space Odyssey", HALS may be a normal brain response to spaceflight. HALS can also prove to be harmful and prevention measures will need to be developed to protect the long-term brain health of astronauts and explore space, "Roberts said.