Spatial Reorientation of Sensorimotor Balance Control in Altered GravitySensorimotor coordination of body segments following space flight are more pronounced after landing when the head is actively tilted with respect to the trunk. This suggests that central vestibular processing shifts from a gravitational frame of reference to a head frame of reference in microgravity. A major effect of such changes is a significant postural instability documented by standard head-erect Sensory Organization Tests. Decrements in functional performance may still be underestimated when head and gravity reference frames remained aligned. The purpose of this study was to examine adaptive changes in spatial processing for balance control following space flight by incorporating static and dynamic tilts that dissociate head and gravity reference frames. A second aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of altering the re-adaptation process following space flight by providing discordant visual-vestibular-somatosensory stimuli using short-radius pitch centrifugation.
Document ID
20070005746
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Paloski, W. H. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Black, F. L. (Legacy Health System Portland, OR, United States)
Kaufman, G. D. (Texas Univ. Galveston, TX, United States)
Reschke, M. F. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Wood, S. J. (Universities Space Research Association Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2007
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Meeting Information
Meeting: Human Research Program Investigators'' Workshop