Space Motion Sickness Research Articles

Genetic diversity, clinical uses, and phytochemical and pharmacological properties of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.): an important medicinal plant.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), a member of the Asteraceae family, is widely used in traditional herbal medicine. This review summarized agronomic conditions, genetic diversity, clinical application, and phytochemicals and pharmacological properties of safflower. The genetic diversity of the plant is rich. Abundant in secondary metabolites like flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, polysaccharides, fatty acids, polyacetylene, and other bioactive components, the medicinal plant is effective for treating cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and respiratory diseases. Especially, Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HYSA) has a variety of pharmacological effects. In terms of treatment and prevention of some space sickness in space travel, safflower could be a potential therapeutic agent. Further studies are still required to support the development of safflower in medicine. Our review indicates that safflower is an important medicinal plant and research prospects regarding safflower are very broad and worthy of further investigation.

Prolonged space flight: Adverse health effects and treatment options with medicinal plants and natural products

Exposure to zero gravity causes many physiological changes which may result to affect the health of people involved in space travel. The current review summarizes current knowledge on the start and progression of space motion sickness, bone loss, muscle loss, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory problems, and neuronal and hormonal problems. Around 70% of astronauts suffer from space adaption syndrome, fluid changes, and head motions. It has also been suggested that otolith asymmetries and Coriolis cross-coupling stimulation are the main causes of space motion sickness. The findings reveal that space flight directly affects the body's normal functioning. Despite an intense training routine, a study of historical data from piloted flights discovered that slow degradation of bone and muscle tissue, along with fluid losses, can eventually lead to kidney stones, musculoskeletal problems, bone fractures, and even problems with other organs of the body. Due to such problems focus is given to curing these problems associated with space travel. Medicines that are used in space and medicinal plants like Spirulina, and Ginseng that are of use for the treatment of these problems associated with space travel are discussed along with the treatment options available for such problems in space and the cautions that must be followed. Also, the herbal medication that can be used in outer space is taken into account. The findings of this study state the necessary precaution that needs to be taken by astronauts in outer space and also provides information for future research to be done on solving these problems.

Neurologic Implications of Spaceflight (P11-4.001)

<h3>Objective:</h3> Neurology in spaceflight has a rich history going back to the original days of the Gemini missions in the 1950s. With increased interest from governmental, commercial, and non-governmental entities the need to further address the integration of neurology and aerospace medicine as a burgeoning discipline. In preparation for the new Artemis generation, researchers and clinicians are attempting to understand better how changes to the nervous system are potentially hazardous and may compromise mission success. Long-duration spaceflight is associated with orthopedic, cardiovascular, urinary, immunologic, hematologic and neurologic changes. We aim to discuss several neurologic conditions that have been observed in astronauts, as well as discuss symptoms/syndromes which are limited to the spaceflight environment. According to NASA risk stratification, understanding particular neurologic conditions is critical as humanity sets its sights on the Moon and beyond. These conditions include cognitive changes, space motion sickness, space headache, and a progressively worsening visual acuity called Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS). As more individuals representative of the average health of the population undergoes the rigors of spaceflight, more anticipated and unanticipated neurologic complications will occur. Patients with additional cardiovascular and neurologic risk factors will face different physiologic challenges than previous career astronauts and pilots. Primarily, neurologists will serve a vital role by applying knowledge of the central nervous system learned in the terrestrial equivalent patient to understand neuro-physiologic responses to spaceflight. This presentation aims to bring attention to and introduce this new area of neurology to help shape the future of humanity in space. <h3>Background:</h3> N/A <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> N/A <h3>Results:</h3> N/A <h3>Conclusions:</h3> N/A <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Rosenberg has nothing to disclose. Donna Roberts has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Guerbet. Donna Roberts has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Guerbet. The institution of Donna Roberts has received research support from Guerbet. The institution of Donna Roberts has received research support from NASA. Dr. Grimberg has nothing to disclose. Dr. Edwards has received intellectual property interests from a discovery or technology relating to health care. Dr. Saway has nothing to disclose. Sami Al Kasab has nothing to disclose.

Dynamic visual acuity as a biometric for astronaut performance and safety

Astronauts are exposed to an austere and constantly changing environment during space travel. To respond to these rapid environmental changes, high levels of dynamic visual acuity (DVA) are required. DVA is the ability to visualize objects that are in motion, or with head movement and has previously been shown to decrease significantly following spaceflight. Decreased DVA can potentially impact astronauts while performing mission critical tasks and drive space motion sickness. In this paper, we suggest that DVA assessment during spaceflight and during G-transitions should be considered to help further understand the vestibulo-ocular impacts of interplanetary spaceflight and ensure mission performance including potential manned missions to Mars.

Physiological Alterations in Relation to Space Flight: The Role of Nutrition.

Astronauts exhibit several pathophysiological changes due to a variety of stressors related to the space environment, including microgravity, space radiation, isolation, and confinement. Space motion sickness, bone and muscle mass loss, cardiovascular deconditioning and neuro-ocular syndrome are some of the spaceflight-induced effects on human health. Optimal nutrition is of the utmost importance, and-in combination with other measures, such as physical activity and pharmacological treatment-has a key role in mitigating many of the above conditions, including bone and muscle mass loss. Since the beginning of human space exploration, space food has not fully covered astronauts' needs. They often suffer from menu fatigue and present unintentional weight loss, which leads to further alterations. The purpose of this review was to explore the role of nutrition in relation to the pathophysiological effects of spaceflight on the human body.

The Effect of Space Environment on Sensory and Motor Systems of Astronauts and Space Motion Sickness

İnsanlar, antik çağlardan beri gökyüzüne büyük ilgi göstermişlerdir. Bu ilgili orta çağdan sonra bilimsel temellere dayalı gözlemlere dönüşmüştür. En nihayetinde 20 yy. ortasından itibaren insanlar, bu ilgiyi uzaya yolculuk etmek şeklinde geliştirmişlerdir. İlk olarak, alçak dünya yörüngesi daha sonra ay olmak üzere önemli görevler yerine getirilmiştir. Günümüzde hedeflenen ise Mars’a insanlı görevlerin gerçekleştirmektir. Ancak uzay, düşük yerçekimi (mikrogravite) ve iyonize radyasyon gibi zorlukları sahiptir. Ayrıca uzay araçları da (Uluslararası uzay istasyonu-ISS da dahil) kısıtlı bir alana mahkûm olma, izolasyon, aile ve sosyal çevreden ayrı kalma gibi zorlukları da beraberinde getirmektedir. Tüm bu zorluklar, kaçınılmaz olarak insan fizyolojisi ve psikolojisini önemli ölçüde etkilemektedir. Bu derleme çalışması, uzay ortamının astronotların duyusal ve motor sistemleri üzerine nasıl etki ettiğini irdeleyebilmek ve astronotların sıkça karşılaştığı bir hastalık olan uzay hareket hastalığının ne olduğunu kısaca açıklayabilmek üzere hazırlanmıştır.

Physiological adaptations affecting drug pharmacokinetics in space: what do we really know? A critical review of the literature.

As human spaceflight progresses with extended mission durations, the demand for effective and safe drugs will necessarily increase. To date, the accepted medications used during missions (for space motion sickness, sleep disturbances, allergies, pain, and sinus congestion) are administered under the assumption that they act as safely and efficaciously as on Earth. However, physiological changes have been documented in human subjects in spaceflight involving fluid shifts, muscle and bone loss, immune system dysregulation, and adjustments in the gastrointestinal tract and metabolism. These alterations may change the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics of commonly used medications. Frustratingly, the information gained from bed rest studies and from in‐flight observations is incomplete and also demonstrates a high variability in drug PK. Therefore, the objectives of this review are to report (i) the impact of the space environmental stressors on human physiology in relation to PK; (ii) the state‐of‐the‐art on experimental data in space and/or in ground‐based models; (iii) the validation of ground‐based models for PK studies; and (iv) the identification of research gaps.

Physiological Changes Associated with Space Missions: How Physical Exercise Helps

Physiological Changes Associated with Space Missions: How Physical Exercise Helps

О некоторых ярких страницах в истории вестибулологии ХХ века. Исторический обзор, дискуссионные вопросы. Часть 2. Вызовы авиакосмической медицины

The article, which consists of several parts, continues the discussion of some bright pages from the history of vestibulology in the 20th century marked by the bold scientific aspirations of vestibulologists of this time. The second part tells about the solution of tasks for aerospace medicine by vestibulologists on the example of the development of this area by the Department of Otolaryngology of the Military Medical Academy in close cooperation with the Moscow Institute of Aviation and Space Medicine. It is reported how, along with the development of aviation in the 1920–30s, the mechanisms of motion sickness were studied at the Department of Military Aviation, and the methods of professional selection of pilots were developed, and how these works were preceded by experimental studies on animals. The role of V. I. Voyachek (the author of the otolith reaction, 1927) and K. L. Khilov (the author of the parallel swing, 1933), who proposed methods that remained the main ones in professional selection for aviation until the 1960s, is discussed. It tells about how, with the beginning of space flights in 1961, vestibulologists faced new challenges that required the creation of special methods for the selection and training of astronauts to overcome space motion sickness. As a result, I. I. Bryanov (1963) and S. S. Markaryan (1966) tests using Coriolis accelerations were developed at the Institute of Aviation and Space Medicine, and the group of Ye. M. Yuganov studied the problem of artificial gravity. In the same 1960s, a whole stack of dissertations on vestibular studies was completed at the Department of Military Medical Academy, and tests were proposed that were later used in the professional selection of pilots and astronauts. These were the works of A. Ye. Kurashvili, V. G. Bazarov, I. S. Usacheva, A. S. Kiselev, V. I. Babiyak et al. The article concludes that applied space tasks contributed to the development of vestibular research in broader directions and the study of complex issues of interaction of sensory systems. Subsequently, the students of K. L. Khilov at the MMA continued to study the topic of the interaction of analyzers. So, the studies of V. I. Babiyak and the vestibulo-optokinetic stand developed by him (1977) were devoted to vestibulo-optokinetic interactions. It is reported that the monographs of Professor A. S. Kiselev, in particular, dedicated to Voyachek (2010), Khilov (2014), and the Department of Otolaryngology of the Military Medical Academy (2017), are of great value for studying the history of vestibulology, ENT specialty, and medicine in general.

Influence of Inosine on Cerebral Hemodynamics in Space Motion Sickness in Experimental Animals.

Motion sickness occurs worldwide in healthy individuals regardless of age, ethnicity, or gender. It is an acute disorder; it can also present as a chronic disorder in some individuals. Motion sickness not only includes vomiting and nausea, but also includes other features such as pallor of varying degrees, cold sweating, headache, drowsiness, increased salivation, and cranial pain, which are severe. Some of the other assessment scales can interpret sickness on exposure to virtual or visual stimulation and while travelling in different types of transport. The aim of our research is to study the effect of the drug on the level of blood flow and vascular reactivity of cerebral vessels when simulating changes in the cerebral circulation in terrestrial conditions characteristic of hypogravity. Chronic experiments were performed on non-anesthetized rabbits with large hemispheres, thalamus and hypothalamus were implanted with the needle-platinum electrodes 150 mm in diameter in the cortex, and local blood flow and vascular reactivity were recorded accordingly. Cerebrovascular disturbances were modeled using an MSAOP (motion sickness of animals in the anti-orthostatic position) with an inclined angle of 45° for 2 hours. Local blood flow (BF) was measured in ml/min/100g of tissue by the method of registration of hydrogen clearance. The vasodilator coefficient of reactivity (CrCO2) was calculated by the ratio of BF against the background of inhalation of a mixture of 7% CO2 with air to the initial BF; vasoconstrictor - in relation to BF on the background of inhalation of 100% O2 to the initial BF (CrO2). A series of experiments were carried out with different routes of drug administration: First, inosine was administered intravenously at a dose of 5 mg/kg immediately before the start of SMS modeling, same dose was administered 30 minutes before the start of exposure. As a control, we used the results of experimental animals under similar conditions without the administration of the drugs. Inosine has pronounced protective properties in cerebrovascular disorders on the background of space motion sickness (SMS) modeling, which is manifested by normalization of BF and restoration of compensatory reactions of cerebral vessels. In the mechanism of cerebroprotective action of inosine, it is able to correct the metabolic processes, which play an important role and help increase the compensatory capabilities and functional stability of the cerebrovascular system under gravitational influences. When using inosine orally, the effects are more pronounced than when administered intravenously, which should be taken into account when using it for the prevention of cerebrovascular disorders in extreme conditions.

Space Medicine in Canada

Space Medicine in Canada

Changes in Sensory Functions in Response to Living in an Extreme Underwater Saturation Environment

The present challenges of long duration spaceflight and other missions in extreme environments include changes of sensory functions, including vision impairment and changes in taste perception. In order to monitor and improve astronaut health and performance during long duration spaceflight and future spaceflight missions we studied sensory functions in response to living in an extreme environment during the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operation (NEEMO) 23. The Aquarius Reef Base is located at 20 m (66 ft) with 2.6 atm (air) pressure inside the habitat, while levels of CO2 are elevated similarly to the International Space Station.This study assessed the changes in visual acuity and taste perception in 6 NEEMO 23 subjects (2 males, 4 females) 1 day before the mission, during the mission at half time and 1 day post mission. Visual changes were assessed using the NIH Toolbox protocol, while changes in taste perception were measured using solutions containing concentrations of either salty, sweet and bitter flavors in three different concetrations on the side of the tongue and in full mouth.We observed a trend of decreased salty and bitter taste sensation in the habitat and post mission, compared to baseline, while the sweet taste sensation did not change. When testing the full mouth, the salty taste sensation significantly decreased post mission, compared to baseline at low or medium concentration. Bitter taste sensation significantly decreased at low concentration in habitat and post mission, compared to baseline. At medium concentration the bitter taste sensation significantly decreased post mission, compared to baseline and in‐habitat, while at high concentration it significantly decreased post mission, compared to baseline. There was a signifcant reduction in the Overall Raw and in Overall Uncorrected Vision Scores between baseline and post mission indicating a significant reduction in visual acuity during the 9 days mission that was not restored immediately after the mission.Living in a saturation environment decreases certain sensory modalities that may persist for an unknown length of time after the exposure. Diminished sensitivity to taste can alter nutritional status and chemosensory changes may also relate to space sickness, stress and psychological factors, while changes in vision may impair operational tasks. These data indicate that mitigation strategies need to be developed and tested in space analog environments.Support or Funding InformationKetone Technologies LLC provided partial funding for the study. SIFT provided partial salary for CA.

БИОСПУТНИКИ «БИОН-6–11»: ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ НА ОБЕЗЬЯНАХ

In 1951, the USSR started launching rockets with dogs in preparation of the first human space flight. The US, starting in 1948, launched primates. These launches of rockets with animals pursued primarily the objectives of engineering testing, whereas the actual researches with primates in orbital flights in US and USSR began in 1969 and 1983, respectively. USSR/Russia launched 12 rhesus-macaques onboard 6 biosatellites of the BION series. The main goal of the investigations was to attack the so-called space adaptation syndrome. Implanted and applied electrodes provided unique information about progression of the space motion sickness, motor dysfunction and growth of intracranial pressure in the condition of microgravity. The BION program was conducted in a broad cooperation with international partners.

Alterations of Functional Brain Connectivity After Long-Duration Spaceflight as Revealed by fMRI.

The present study reports alterations of task-based functional brain connectivity in a group of 11 cosmonauts after a long-duration spaceflight, compared to a healthy control group not involved in the space program. To elicit the postural and locomotor sensorimotor mechanisms that are usually most significantly impaired when space travelers return to Earth, a plantar stimulation paradigm was used in a block design fMRI study. The motor control system activated by the plantar stimulation involved the pre-central and post-central gyri, SMA, SII/operculum, and, to a lesser degree, the insular cortex and cerebellum. While no post-flight alterations were observed in terms of activation, the network-based statistics approach revealed task-specific functional connectivity modifications within a broader set of regions involving the activation sites along with other parts of the sensorimotor neural network and the visual, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems. The most notable findings included a post-flight increase in the stimulation-specific connectivity of the right posterior supramarginal gyrus with the rest of the brain; a strengthening of connections between the left and right insulae; decreased connectivity of the vestibular nuclei, right inferior parietal cortex (BA40) and cerebellum with areas associated with motor, visual, vestibular, and proprioception functions; and decreased coupling of the cerebellum with the visual cortex and the right inferior parietal cortex. The severity of space motion sickness symptoms was found to correlate with a post- to pre-flight difference in connectivity between the right supramarginal gyrus and the left anterior insula. Due to the complex nature and rapid dynamics of adaptation to gravity alterations, the post-flight findings might be attributed to both the long-term microgravity exposure and to the readaptation to Earth’s gravity that took place between the landing and post-flight MRI session. Nevertheless, the results have implications for the multisensory reweighting and gravitational motor system theories, generating hypotheses to be tested in future research.

Space motion sickness: A common neurovestibular dysfunction in microgravity.

This article presents a review of the current findings related to neurovestibular physiology, aetiology, and proposed theories on space motion sickness (SMS) during acute and sustained exposure to microgravity. The review discusses the available treatment options including medication and nonpharmacological countermeasure methods that help to prevent the development of SMS in weightlessness. Ground-based simulations using virtual reality, flight simulations, and Barany's chairs can be applied to study SMS and demonstrate its signs and symptoms to space crew members. Space motion sickness has been observed in approximately 70% of astronauts within the first 72 h in microgravity, having in general an instantaneous onset of signs and symptoms. Stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, pallor, cold sweating, salivation, tachypnoea, belching, fatigue, drowsiness, and stress hormone release have been documented. This can have detrimental effects on the well-being of astronauts in the initial phase of a space mission. Mental and physical performance may be affected, jeopardizing operational procedures and mission safety.

Orientation Preferences and Motion Sickness Induced in a Virtual Reality Environment.

Astronauts' orientation preferences tend to correlate with their susceptibility to space motion sickness (SMS). Orientation preferences appear universally, since variable sensory cue priorities are used between individuals. However, SMS susceptibility changes after proper training, while orientation preferences seem to be intrinsic proclivities. The present study was conducted to investigate whether orientation preferences change if susceptibility is reduced after repeated exposure to a virtual reality (VR) stimulus environment that induces SMS. A horizontal supine posture was chosen to create a sensory context similar to weightlessness, and two VR devices were used to produce a highly immersive virtual scene. Subjects were randomly allocated to an experimental group (trained through exposure to a provocative rotating virtual scene) and a control group (untrained). All subjects' orientation preferences were measured twice with the same interval, but the experimental group was trained three times during the interval, while the control group was not. Trained subjects were less susceptible to SMS, with symptom scores reduced by 40%. Compared with untrained subjects, trained subjects' orientation preferences were significantly different between pre- and posttraining assessments. Trained subjects depended less on visual cues, whereas few subjects demonstrated the opposite tendency. Results suggest that visual information may be inefficient and unreliable for body orientation and stabilization in a rotating visual scene, while reprioritizing preferences for different sensory cues was dynamic and asymmetric between individuals. The present findings should facilitate customization of efficient and proper training for astronauts with different sensory prioritization preferences and dynamic characteristics.Chen W, Chao J-G, Zhang Y, Wang J-K, Chen X-W, Tan C. Orientation preferences and motion sickness induced in a virtual reality environment. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(10):903-910.

Vestibular function and space motion sickness

The vestibular system plays an important role in intersensory interactions and gravitation is a natural stimulus for its receptors. Weightlessness alters the input signals of the otoliths and their effect on the pattern and dynamics of changes in the vestibular function (VF), which is accompanied by development of space adaptation syndrome (SAS) and space motion sickness (SMS). These changes occur both during the spaceflight (SF) and after returning to Earth, but the mechanisms of their development are still poorly understood and require special studies. In total, 47 Russian cosmonauts (crewmembers of long-term International Space Station (ISS) missions) have participated in the studies into VF before and after SF and nine of them, in onboard studies during SF (129–215 days) as a part of the Virtual space experiment (stage 1). Electro- and video-oculography are used to record spontaneous eye movements (SpEM), static vestibular–ocular responses during head tilts to the right or left shoulder (static otolith–cervical–ocular reflex, OCOR), and dynamic vestibular-ocular response during the head rotation around the longitudinal axis of the body. The examination is accompanied by personal and questionnaire survey on subjective responses and complaints of cosmonauts about SAS and SMS. Significant changes in SpEM (drifts of eyes, spontaneous and gaze-evoked nystagmus, and arbitrary saccades) and a decrease in OCOR (statistically significant decrease in the amplitude of ocular counter-rolling in response to head tilts up to its absence or inversion, an atypical OCOR) are observed during SF. An atypical OCOR is observed at the beginning of adaptation to weightlessness in seven of the nine cosmonauts (the first one to two weeks of SF) and repeatedly throughout the flight in all cosmonauts regardless of whether it is their first flight or not. Atypical vestibular responses after SF, similar to the responses during SF, are observed in several cosmonauts by day 9 after flight. It has been shown that atypical OCOR variants are more frequently observed in the subjects lacking any previous space experience, as well as a more pronounced decrease in this response with a concurrent increase in the response of the semicircular canals. It is also demonstrated that repeated SFs lead to a considerable shortening in the after-flight readaptation to terrestrial conditions and a considerable decrease in the degree of vestibular disorders. In the initial period of SF, the changes in VF are correlated with the complaints and manifestations of SAS and SMS; however, the complaints and the corresponding symptoms are unobservable during the further flight despite significant changes in the VF state. The patterns of the VF disorders associated with the impact of weightlessness and observed during and after SF are very similar, allowing these disorders to be regarded as SAS and SMS of different severities (intensities).

Vestibular Reflexes: Evaluation and Relevance in Microgravity

Maintaining postural equilibrium, sensing movement, and maintaining an awareness of the relative location of our body parts requires the precise integration of several of the body's sensory and response systems including visual, vestibular, somatosensory (touch, pressure, and stretch receptors in our skin, muscles, and joints), and auditory. Vestibular system plays important part in maintaining balance in microgravity environment. Understanding vestibular system and vestibular reflexes will help in training of space crew, detection of vestibular pathologies and prevention & treatment of space motion sickness. This review covers the vestibular reflex pathways, tests to check integrity of these pathways, effect of microgravity on vestibular system and role of vestibular system in space motion sickness

Commentaries on Viewpoint: A call for research to assess and promote functional resilience in astronaut crews

Commentaries on Viewpoint: A call for research to assess and promote functional resilience in astronaut crews

Subjective Vertical Conflict Theory and Space Motion Sickness.

Space motion sickness (SMS) remains a troublesome problem during spaceflight. The subjective vertical (SV) conflict theory postulates that all motion sickness provoking situations are characterized by a condition in which the SV sensed from gravity and visual and idiotropic cues differs from the expected vertical. This theory has been successfully used to predict motion sickness in different vehicles on Earth. We have summarized the most outstanding and recent studies on the illusions and characteristics associated with spatial disorientation and SMS during weightlessness, such as cognitive map and mental rotation, the visual reorientation and inversion illusions, and orientation preferences between visual scenes and the internal z-axis of the body. The relationships between the SV and the incidence of and susceptibility to SMS as well as spatial disorientation were addressed. A consistent framework was presented to understand and explain SMS characteristics in more detail on the basis of the SV conflict theory, which is expected to be more advantageous in SMS prediction, prevention, and training.