Exposure to an extreme environment comes at a sensorimotor cost

Kyoung Jae Kim,Kara H Beaton,Michael C Schubert,Yoav Gimmon,Sharmeen Sorathia

doi:10.1038/s41526-018-0051-2

Kyoung Jae Kim, Kara H Beaton + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-018-0051-2

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Abstract

Long duration space flight is known to induce severe modifications in the sensorimotor and musculoskeletal systems. While in-flight strategies including physical fitness have been used to prevent the loss of bone and muscle mass using appropriate rehabilitative countermeasures, less attention has been put forth in the design of technologies that can quickly and effectively assess sensorimotor function during missions in space. The aims of the present study were therefore (1) to develop a Portable Sensorimotor Assessment Platform (PSAP) to enable a crewmember to independently and quickly assess his/her sensorimotor function during the NASA’s Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) and (2) to investigate changes in performance of static posture, tandem gait, and lower limb ataxia due to exposure in an extreme environment. Our data reveal that measuring the degree of upper body balance and gait regularity during tandem walking using PSAP provided a sensitive and objective quantification of body movement abnormalities due to changes in sensorimotor performance over the duration of mission exposure.

Highlights

NASA intends to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.1,2 This will involve long duration exposure to conditions of microgravity that may impair the crewmembers' sensorimotor function when reexposed to gravitational environments
NASA’s Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) crewmembers We found statistically significant changes in parameters related to tandem walking in both the EO and EC conditions, Table 1
These two variables for left steps show a similar pattern of progressive reduction (p = 0.003) as long as crewmembers were inside the habitat

Summary

Introduction

NASA intends to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.1,2 This will involve long duration exposure to conditions of microgravity that may impair the crewmembers' sensorimotor function when reexposed to gravitational environments. NASA intends to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.1,2. This will involve long duration exposure to conditions of microgravity that may impair the crewmembers' sensorimotor function when reexposed to gravitational environments. Other studies reveal a decreased coordination between the head and trunk during post-flight locomotion, which tends to be worse in naive flyers.[6]

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