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Neural readaptation to Earth's gravity following return from spaceThe consequence of exposure to microgravity on the otolith organs was studied by recording the responses of vestibular nerve afferents supplying the utricular otolith organ to inertial accelerations in four toadfish, Opsanus tau, sequentially for 5 days following two National Aeronautics and Space Administration shuttle orbital flights. Within the first day postflight, the magnitude of response to an applied translation was on average three times greater than for controls. The reduced gravitational acceleration in orbit apparently resulted in an upregulation of the sensitivity of utricular afferents. By 30 h postflight, responses were statistically similar to control. The time course of return to normal afferent sensitivity parallels the reported decrease in vestibular disorientation in astronauts following return from space.
Document ID
20040088729
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Boyle, R.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field CA United States)
Mensinger, A. F.
Yoshida, K.
Usui, S.
Intravaia, A.
Tricas, T.
Highstein, S. M.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 2001
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of neurophysiology
Volume: 86
Issue: 4
ISSN: 0022-3077
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: PO-1 DC-01837
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
manned
Non-NASA Center
short duration
STS-90 Shuttle Project
Flight Experiment
STS-95 Shuttle Project
NASA Discipline Neuroscience

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