Our bodies adjust in ways that make for a long list of health concerns for space travelers.
The space surrounding the blood vessels in our brain is the focus of the latest evaluation of microgravity.
A group of researchers from across the US compared a series of magnetic resonance image (MRI) scans of 15 astronauts' brains taken before and after their six-month stay on the International Space Station.
The team found that time spent in the sun had a profound effect on the plumbing of the brain. At least for the first-timers.
There appeared to be little difference in the sizes of the perivascular spaces in the two scans taken prior to the mission and the four taken after.
"Experienced astronauts may have reached some kind of homeostasis," says Oregon Health and Science University neurologist Juan Piantino.
We already know how the brain distorts when the tug of gravity is not present.
Brain tissues are slow to recover from a stint in space, with some changes persisting for a year or more.
Currently, astronauts rarely make more than a few trips into space in their lifetime, typically hanging around for six months at a time. This could change as commercialization of a space industry ramps up.
It will pay to know if the changes experienced in the first trip will cause harm or if they will adapt to a new normal.
We all adapted to use gravity in our favor.
Nature didn't put our brains in our feet, it put them high up. What does removing gravity from the equation do to human physiology?
It is not yet clear if the change will have any health risks.
When we sleep, we tend to use the neurological drainage system the most. The flush of fluids around our grey matter seems to help remove waste products that accumulate during our more active hours.
Disruptions might accumulate, potentially contributing to increased risks of neurodegenerative disorders, if these channels are not functioning efficiently.
If changes in the shape of the network of channels are significant, it is too soon to tell if microgravity has any effect on the circulation of cerebral spinal fluid around our noggins. It might not be obvious until researchers have a sample of veteran astronauts.
Knowing more about these small adjustments goes beyond the potential harms of working in a space industry.
It forces you to think about some basic questions of science and how life evolved on Earth.
We fight against the pull of Gravity, but it isn't just something we fight against. It is a force that we have evolved to use, assisting in the flow of blood and the removal of waste.
We are almost certain to learn more about diseases and disorders our bodies have been forced to weather down here by studying the subtle changes in health and anatomy under conditions we never evolved to endure.
Scientific Reports published this research.
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