Brain damage from long stays in space

Date:
October 12, 2021
Source:
University of Gothenburg
Summary:
Spending a long time in space appears to cause brain damage. This
is shown by a study of five Russian cosmonauts who had stayed on
the International Space Station (ISS).



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Spending a long time in space appears to cause brain damage. This is shown
by a study of five Russian cosmonauts who had stayed on the International
Space Station (ISS). Researchers at the University of Gothenburg are
among those now presenting the results.


==========================================================================
The study is published in the scientific journal JAMA Neurology. Its
co-authors at the University, scientists from the Institute of
Neuroscience and Physiology at Sahlgrenska Academy, wrote it jointly
with colleagues in Moscow and Munich.

The scientists followed five male Russian cosmonauts working on the
permanently manned International Space Station (ISS), which is in orbit
400 km from Earth's surface.

The adverse effects on the body of long periods in space have been known
for some time. The negative changes include atrophic muscles, decreasing
bone mass, deteriorating vision and altered bacterial flora in the gut.

Evidence of brain damage Blood samples were taken from the cosmonauts 20
days before their departure to the ISS. On average, they then stayed
in space for 169 days (approximately five and a half months). The
participants' mean age was 49.



========================================================================== After their return to Earth, follow-up blood samples were taken on
three occasions: one day, one week, and about three weeks respectively
after landing.

Five biomarkers for brain damage were analyzed. They were neurofilament
light (NFL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), total tau (T-tau),
and two amyloid beta proteins.

For three of the biomarkers -- NFL, GFAP and the amyloid beta protein
Ab40 - - the concentrations were significantly elevated after the space sojourn. The peak readings did not occur simultaneously after the men's
return to Earth, but their biomarker trends nonetheless broadly tallied
over time.

"This is the first time that concrete proof of brain-cell damage has
been documented in blood tests following space flights. This must be
explored further and prevented if space travel is to become more common
in the future," says Henrik Zetterberg, professor of neuroscience and
one of the study's two senior coauthors.

Several studies underway "To get there, we must help one another to
find out why the damage arises. Is it being weightless, changes in brain
fluid, or stressors associated with launch and landing, or is it caused
by something else? Here, loads of exciting experimental studies on humans
can be done on Earth," he continues.

The notion that the changes concerned may have a bearing on brain function
is substantiated by changes also seen in magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) of the brain after space travel. Further support is provided by
clinical tests of the men's brain function that show deviations linked
to their assignments in space.

However, the present study was too small to investigate these associations
in detail.

Zetterberg and his coauthors at the University, scientist Nicholas
Ashton and Professor Kaj Blennow, are currently discussing follow-up
studies with their other fellow researchers involved in the study,
and also with national and international space research institutes.

"If we can sort out what causes the damage, the biomarkers we've developed
may help us find out how best to remedy the problem," Zetterberg says.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Gothenburg. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Peter zu Eulenburg, Judith-Irina Buchheim, Nicholas J. Ashton,
Galina
Vassilieva, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, Alexander
Chouke'r. Changes in Blood Biomarkers of Brain Injury and
Degeneration Following Long- Duration Spaceflight. JAMA Neurology,
2021; DOI: 10.1001/ jamaneurol.2021.3589 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211012091901.htm

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