Postural reflexes, balance control, and functional mobility with long-duration head-down bed rest.

Introduction: Spaceflight has functionally significant effects on sensorimotor behavior, but it is difficult to separate the effects of ascending somatosensory changes caused by postural muscle and plantar surface unloading from descending visual-vestibular neural changes. To differentiate somatosensory changes from graviceptor changes in post-spaceflight sensorimotor behavior, bed rest may serve as an exclusionary analog to spaceflight.

Methods: Four separate tests were used to measure changes in sensorimotor performance: 1) the monosynaptic stretch reflex (MSR); 2) the functional stretch reflex (FSR); 3) balance control parameters associated with computerized dynamic posturography (CDP); and 4) a functional mobility test (FMT).

Adaptive responses in eye-head-hand coordination following exposures to a virtual environment as a possible space flight analog.

Virtual reality environments (VRs) offer unique training opportunities, particularly for training astronauts and preadapting them to the novel sensory conditions of microgravity. The purpose of the current research was to compare disturbances in eye-head-hand (EHH) sensorimotor coordination produced by repeated exposures to VR systems. In general, we observed significant increases in position errors for both horizontal and vertical targets.

Preflight virtual reality training as a countermeasure for space motion sickness and disorientation.

Introduction: Research suggests that preflight training in virtual reality devices can simulate certain aspects of microgravity and may prove to be an effective countermeasure for space motion sickness (SMS) and spatial disorientation (SD). It is hypothesized that exposing subjects preflight to variable virtual orientations, similar to those encountered during spaceflight, will reduce the incidence and/or severity of SMS and SD.

Methods: Subjects were assigned to either a variable training (VT) or nonvariable training (NVT) condition to perform a simple navigation and switch activation task in a virtual space station.

Effect of 30-min +3 Gz centrifugation on vestibular and autonomic cardiovascular function.

Introduction: Repeated exposure to increased +Gz enhances human baroreflex responsiveness and improves tolerance to cardiovascular stress. However, it is not known whether such enhancements might also result from a single, more prolonged exposure to increased +Gz. Our study was designed to investigate whether baroreflex function and orthostatic tolerance are acutely improved by a single prolonged exposure to +3 Gz, and moreover, whether changes in autonomic cardiovascular function resulting from exposure to increased +Gz are correlated with changes in otolith function.

Changes in gastric myoelectric activity during space flight.

The purpose of the present study was to examine postprandial myoelectric activity of the stomach and gastric activity associated with space motion sickness using electrogastrography. Three crewmembers participated in this investigation. Preflight, subjects exhibited normal postprandial responses to the ingestion of a meal.