Space Travel and the Nervous System

Abstract

Space travel has long fascinated humanity, but poses significant risks to human physiology, including the nervous system. Neurological integrity, vital for managing the complex visual and motor interplay in space, is compromised during spaceflight. The brain and vestibular organs are particularly affected as they must adapt to different phases of space travel. One major concern is spaceflight-associated changes in brain white matter and intracranial fluid redistribution. Astronauts may experience both short- and long-term effects, such as space motion sickness, spatial perception loss, neuro vestibular anomalies, impaired sleep and wake cycles, altered mood and attention, spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS), and increased risk of brain malignancies and neurodegeneration. Gaze stability, essential for operating spacecraft controls, is compromised by high acceleration and vibration during ascent. This chapter outlines neurological concerns during spaceflight and discusses potential countermeasures, including lower body negative pressure for SANS.