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Head movements in non-terrestrial force environments elicit motion sickness - Implications for the etiology of space motion sicknessSpace motion sickness has become an operational concern in manned space flight. Considerable evidence exists that head movements in free fall, especially pitch movements, are provocative until adaptation occurs. The question arises whether space motion sickness is an unique nosological entity or is due to body movements in a nonterrestrial force environment, a force environment for which the body's dynamic sensory-motor adaptions to 1 G are no longer appropriate. To evaluate this issue, subjects were asked to make controlled head movements during exposure to high gravitoinertial force levels, 1.8-2.0 G, in parabolic flight maneuvers. Head movements in pitch with eyes open were most evocative of motion sickness, yaw movements with eyes covered were least provocative. This pattern is identical to that which occurs when the same types of head movements are made in the free fall phase of parabolic maneuvers. It appears that space motion sickness is the consequence of prolonged exposure to a nonterrestrial force background rather than of exposure to free fall per se.
Document ID
19860051577
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Lackner, J. R.
(Brandeis Univ. Waltham, MA, United States)
Graybiel, A.
(Brandeis University Waltham, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1986
Publication Information
Publication: Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
Volume: 57
ISSN: 0095-6562
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Accession Number
86A36315
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS9-15147
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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