Microgravity changes the structure of the human brain

A long stay in space affects the structure of the brain.

As part of this study, researchers examined the brain structure of 10 astronauts with the help of MRI scans, which they took to flight, immediately after and several months after their return on Earth. All participants in the microgravity experiment lasted an average of 189 days.

The researchers found that, compared to the brain structure before flight and after flight, astronauts found a decrease in gray matter volume in the right middle temporal gyrus of 3.3%, was about 1 , 2%). The reduction in white matter was negligible and was observed only immediately after the flight, but scientists discovered an increase in cerebrospinal fluid a few months after the flight.

According to the researchers, they discovered that changes could explain the causes of the violations observed after a space flight, for example vision problems due to the swelling of the optical disk. However, to establish such a relationship, additional research is needed.