MSGID: 1:317/3 63f05468   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Space travel influences the way the brain works    
      
     Date:   
         February 17, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of Liege   
     Summary:   
         Scientists have found how the human brain changes and adapts to   
         weightlessness, after being in space for 6 months. Some of the   
         changes turned out to be lasting -- even after 8 months back   
         on Earth.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   Scientists of the University of Antwerp and University of Lie`ge have   
   found how the human brain changes and adapts to weightlessness, after   
   being in space for 6 months. Some of the changes turned out to be lasting   
   -- even after 8 months back on Earth. Raphae"l Lie'geois, soon to be   
   the third Belgian in space, acknowledges the importance of the research,   
   "to prepare the new generation of astronauts for longer missions."   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   A child who learns not to drop a glass on the floor, or a tennis player   
   predicting the course of an incoming ball to hit it accurately are   
   examples of how the brain incorporates the physical laws of gravity   
   to optimally function on Earth. Astronauts who go to space reside in   
   a weightless environment, where the brain's rules about gravity are   
   no longer applicable. A new study on brain function in cosmonauts has   
   revealed how the brain's organization is changed after a six-month mission   
   to the International Space Station (ISS), demonstrating the adaptation   
   that is required to live in weightlessness.   
      
   The University of Antwerp has been leading this BRAIN-DTI scientific   
   project through the European Space Agency. Magnetic resonance imaging   
   (MRI) data were taken from 14 astronaut brains before and several   
   times after their mission to space. Using a special MRI technique, the   
   researchers collected the astronauts' brain data in a resting condition,   
   hence without having them engage in a specific task. This resting-state   
   functional MRI technique enabled the researchers to investigate the   
   brain's default state and to find out whether this changes or not after   
   long-duration spaceflight.   
      
   Learning effect In collaboration with the University of Lie`ge,   
   recent analyses of the brain's activity at rest revealed how functional   
   connectivity, a marker of how activity in some brain areas is correlated   
   with the activity in others, changes in specific regions.   
      
   "We found that connectivity was altered after spaceflight in regions   
   which support the integration of different types of information, rather   
   than dealing with only one type each time, such as visual, auditory, or   
   movement information', say Steven Jillings and Floris Wuyts (University   
   of Antwerp).   
      
   "Moreover, we found that some of these altered communication patterns were   
   retained throughout 8 months of being back on Earth. At the same time,   
   some brain changes returned to the level of how the areas were functioning   
   before the space mission."  Both scenarios of changes are plausible:   
   retained changes in brain communication may indicate a learning effect,   
   while transient changes may indicate more acute adaptation to changed   
   gravity levels.   
      
   "This dataset is so special as their participants themselves. Back in   
   2016, we were historically the first to show how spaceflight may affect   
   brain function on a single cosmonaut. Some years later we are now in a   
   unique position to investigate the brains of more astronauts, several   
   times. Therefore, we are deciphering the potential of the human brain   
   all the more in confidence," says Dr. Athena Demertzi (GIGA Institute,   
   University of Lie`ge), co-supervisor of this this work.   
      
   New generation of astronauts "Understanding physiological and   
   behavioral changes triggered by weightlessness is key to plan human   
   space exploration. Therefore, mapping changes of brain function using   
   neuroimaging techniques as done in this work is an important step to   
   prepare the new generation of astronauts for longer missions," comments   
   Raphae"l Lie'geois, Doctor of Engineering Science (ULie`ge) with a Thesis   
   in the field of Neuroscience, future ESA Astronaut.   
      
   The researchers are excited with the results, though they know it is   
   only the first step in pursuing our understanding of brain communication   
   changes after space travel. For example, we still need to investigate   
   what the exact behavioural consequence is for these brain communication   
   changes, we need to understand whether longer time spent in outer space   
   might influence these observations, and whether brain characteristics   
   may be helpful in selecting future astronauts or monitoring them during   
   and after space travel.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Mind_&_Brain   
                   # Brain-Computer_Interfaces # Brain_Injury # Intelligence   
                   # Neuroscience   
             o Space_&_Time   
                   # Space_Station # Space_Probes # Space_Exploration # NASA   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Charon_(moon) o Space_observatory o   
             Comet_Hale-Bopp o Aggression o Lunar_space_elevator   
             o Compton_Gamma_Ray_Observatory o Space_exploration o   
             Space_elevator   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Liege. Note: Content   
   may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Steven Jillings, Ekaterina Pechenkova, Elena Tomilovskaya, Ilya   
         Rukavishnikov, Ben Jeurissen, Angelique Van Ombergen, Inna Nosikova,   
         Alena Rumshiskaya, Liudmila Litvinova, Jitka Annen, Chloe"   
         De Laet, Catho Schoenmaekers, Jan Sijbers, Victor Petrovichev,   
         Stefan Sunaert, Paul M.   
      
         Parizel, Valentin Sinitsyn, Peter zu Eulenburg, Steven Laureys,   
         Athena Demertzi, Floris L. Wuyts. Prolonged microgravity   
         induces reversible and persistent changes on human cerebral   
         connectivity. Communications Biology, 2023; 6 (1) DOI:   
         10.1038/s42003-022-04382-w   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230217103939.htm   
      
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