Effect of microgravity on the implementation of conditioned reflex skills of rhesus monkeys.

The success of two monkeys in performing an eye-head-hand coordination task was investigated during the Bion 11 flight. In comparison to the ground controls, it took the flight monkeys more time to reach the light stimuli located at 40 degrees to the left or right from the center of the panel in front of them. During flight days (FD) 5-6, the precision of hand movements deteriorated, and during FD 7-14, it improved, although the performance time increased.

PTS performance by flight- and control-group macaques.

A total of 25 young monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained with the Psychomotor Test System, a package of software tasks and computer hardware developed for spaceflight research with nonhuman primates. Two flight monkeys and two control monkeys were selected from this pool and performed a psychomotor task before and after the Bion 11 flight or a ground-control period. Monkeys from both groups showed significant disruption in performance after the 14-day flight or simulation (plus one anesthetized day of biopsies and other tests), and this disruption appeared to be magnified for the flight animal.

Behavior and performance of rhesus monkeys during Bion 11 flight.

Study of behavior and performance patterns of two Bion 11 monkeys showed that they adapted to the space environment at a different rate. Inflight, both animals successfully performed eye-head-hand coordination tasks (Program 1) and failed to complete foot pedal tasks (Program 2), although they were successful in performing Program 2 before and immediately after flight.

General and special training of rhesus monkeys flown on Bion biosatellites.

Before flight, the flight pool monkeys were trained to experience spaceflight-type effects (diminished motor activity and confinement) and to perform eye-head-hand coordination and foot-pedal tasks. A battery of tests was used to select strong and highly adaptable animals as flight candidates. The animals with strong active defensive and exploratory reactions proved to be the best.

[The late sequelae of radiation exposures on the neurological status of the body (clinico-experimental research)].

It was found out in experiments on monkeys that one of the most serious remote consequences of small and medium doses of ionizing radiation was the development of stable organic disorders in various cerebral structures. Clinical researches substantiate the necessity to make registration of post-radiation pathological changes in central nerve system of patients.