NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Intracranial Fluid Redistribution During a Spaceflight AnalogThe neural correlates of spaceflight-induced sensorimotor impairments are unknown. Head down-tilt bed rest (HDBR) serves as a microgravity analog because it mimics the headward fluid shift and limb unloading of spaceflight. We investigated focal brain white matter (WM) changes and fluid shifts during 70 days of 6 deg HDBR in 16 subjects who were assessed pre (2x), during (3x), and post-HDBR (2x). Changes over time were compared to those in control subjects (n=12) assessed four times over 90 days. Diffusion MRI was used to assess WM microstructure and fluid shifts. Free-Water Imaging, derived from diffusion MRI, was used to quantify the distribution of intracranial extracellular free water (FW). Additionally, we tested whether WM and FW changes correlated with changes in functional mobility and balance measures. HDBR resulted in FW increases in fronto-temporal regions and decreases in posterior-parietal regions that largely recovered by two weeks post-HDBR. WM microstructure was unaffected by HDBR. FW decreased in the post-central gyrus and precuneus. We previously reported that gray matter increases in these regions were associated with less HDBR-induced balance impairment, suggesting adaptive structural neuroplasticity. Future studies are warranted to determine causality and underlying mechanisms.
Document ID
20170000801
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Koppelmans, Vincent
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Pasternak, Ofer
(Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA, United States)
Bloomberg, Jacob J.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
De Dios, Yiri E.
(KBRwyle Science, Technology and Engineering Houston, TX, United States)
Wood, Scott J.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Riascos, Roy
(Texas Univ. Health Science Center Houston, TX, United States)
Reuter-Lorenz, Patrica A.
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Kofman, Igor S.
(KBRwyle Science, Technology and Engineering Houston, TX, United States)
Mulavara, Ajitkumar P.
(KBRwyle Science, Technology and Engineering Houston, TX, United States)
Seidler, Rachael D.
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Date Acquired
January 25, 2017
Publication Date
January 23, 2017
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-38506
Meeting Information
Meeting: Human Research Program Investigators'' Workshop (HRP IWS 2017)
Location: Galveston, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: January 23, 2017
End Date: January 26, 2017
Sponsors: NASA Johnson Space Center, National Space Biomedical Research Inst. (NSBRI)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: MA02701
PROJECT: NIH Proj. 1UL1RR029876-01
CONTRACT_GRANT: PF04101
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX11AR02G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC 9-58
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available