RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Impacts of Spaceflight Experience on Human Brain Structure
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.02.09.479297
DO 10.1101/2022.02.09.479297
A1 Heather R. McGregor
A1 Kathleen E. Hupfeld
A1 Ofer Pasternak
A1 Nichole E. Beltran
A1 Yiri E. De Dios
A1 Jacob J. Bloomberg
A1 Scott J. Wood
A1 Ajitkumar P. Mulavara
A1 Roy F. Riascos
A1 Patricia A. Reuter-Lorenz
A1 Rachael D. Seidler
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/02/10/2022.02.09.479297.abstract
AB Spaceflight induces widespread changes in human brain morphology. It is unclear if these brain changes differ with varying mission durations or one’s history of spaceflight experience (e.g., number of prior missions, time between missions). Here we addressed this issue by quantifying voxelwise post-flight changes in gray matter volume, white matter microstructure, extracellular free water (FW), and ventricular volume in a sample of 28 astronauts. We found that longer missions induced greater ventricular expansion and larger FW displacement at the top of the brain. A greater number of prior missions was associated with white matter microstructure declines in a tract supporting voluntary leg movement. Longer inter-mission intervals were associated with greater ventricle expansion, with compensatory ventricular expansion observed only in those crewmembers with inter-missions intervals of 3 years or longer. Longer missions therefore induce more extensive brain fluid shifts, and the ventricles may require at least 3 years to recover post-flight.Competing Interest StatementYED, NEB, APM are employed by KBR. The other authors declare no competing interest.