Astronauts’ Brains Move During Long Space Flight And Stay

Research have shown that long term spaceflight and stay in space can affect the astronauts’ health particularly their brain. This is due to long term exposure to ‘no gravity” environment and to microgravity. Microgravity is a state where there is less or little gravity in the environment.

How “no gravity” and “microgravity” affects the health of the astronauts? In the research it says the body’s fluids float within the body which affects the astronauts’ feet and the brain and their eyes. That with gravity, the fluids in the body is distributed within the body and remain intact and under control; thus, without gravity the fluids in the body will be out of whack.

The research says the astronauts’ brain swell and reorganized or move and their eyes are damaged and have fluids due to the brain swelling and reorganization.

“Over the last few years, a number of studies have emerged showing that spending time in microgravity can cause several biomedical changes, including worsened eyesight, reduced bone density, and brain swelling. This new research, in which the scientists took hundreds of brain scans of 11 male cosmonauts, showed that their brains actually floated to a different place within the skull than normal, and fluid buildup around the eyes was the root cause of that damaged eyesight.” (Futurism)

“……with long-duration exposure to microgravity, the brain swells and cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds the brain and spinal cord, increases in volume. These findings support the theory that spaceflight increases pressure in the head which researchers think could be tied to issues with astronaut vision……” (Space)

“It turns out that spending time in space can change your brain….. But one new study suggests that spaceflight could affect the human brain in strange and unusual ways, which could impair astronaut eyesight and last for a long time.” (Space)

“……. astronauts have reported issues with vision after traveling to space. Medical evaluations on Earth have revealed that astronauts' optic nerves swell and some experience retinal hemorrhage and other structural changes to their eyes. Scientists suspect that these vision issues are caused by increased "intracranial pressure," or pressure in the head, during spaceflight. In a new study led by Dr. Larry Kramer, a radiologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, researchers have found evidence that this pressure does, in fact, increase in microgravity. “ (Space)

“Additionally, Kramer and his colleagues found that the pituitary gland, also changes with exposure to microgravity, Kramer said. They found that the gland became compressed, it changed in height and shape which, as Kramer said, this is a sign of increased pressure in the head. “ (Space)

“Prior research has shown that long-term space missions can lead to bone and muscle degeneration due to the impact of extended freefall on the body. Some studies have also shown that it can lead to minor loss of visual acuity due to fluid buildup in the eyes. In this new effort, the researchers wanted to know what effects such missions might have on the brains of those who remain in space for long periods of time….. The researchers found that the brain reorients itself during long space missions, essentially floating into different parts of the skull. This resulted in slight reorganization of the brain itself in response to the reorientation. The cosmonauts brains also responded in other ways to the unusual living environment—they acquired new motor skills and had better balance and coordination. The researchers also found that the reorientation did not result in neurodegeneration and that normal orientation was nearly restored seven months after the cosmonauts returned to Earth. They also confirmed fluid build-up behind the eyes as the reason for the loss of visual acuity during long space flights.” (Phys)

“Researchers have been exploring how spaceflight can affect human physiology and human health for as long as we have been working to launch people to space.” (Space)

But the effect when you are already on earth is not forever as the news said but one will return to normal after some time.

“The researchers also found that these effects, the swelling of the brain alongside the compressing pituitary gland and the pressure in the head, was still present a year after the astronauts returned from space. That duration suggests that these effects could be long-lasting, Kramer said.” (Space)

The main point : Space flight or long stay in space can affect one’s health as the human body is not used to microgravity and “no gravity”.

image from PHYS website

image from Pioneering Minds website