|
Principal Investigator:
|
Rachael D. Seidler, Ph.D.
|
|
Organization:
|
University of Michigan
|
The researchers for this project will perform structural and functional MR brain imaging to identify the relationship between changes in participants- neurocognitive function and neural structural alterations following 60 days of head-down tilt bed rest.
Hypotheses
Measures of brain structure, function, and network integrity will change from pre- to post- bed rest to a greater extent than in control participants over the same time period.
The researchers predict that these changes will correlate with indices of cognitive, sensory, and motor function in a structurally selective fashion. This work complements their ongoing NASA funded project NNX11AR02G, “Spaceflight Effects on Neurocognitive Performance: Extent, Longevity, and Neural Bases.”
With the current project, the researchers will be able to determine the neural and neurocognitive effects of unloading, reduced sensory inputs, and increased cephalic fluid distribution. This will enable them to parse out the multiple mechanisms contributing to any spaceflight induced neural structural and behavioral changes that they observe in the ongoing project. This interdisciplinary approach utilizes cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques and a broad battery of sensory, motor and cognitive assessments to investigate neuroplastic and maladaptive brain changes following long duration bed rest. Success in this endeavor would 1) aid in identification of the underlying neural mechanisms and operational risks of spaceflight-induced changes in behavior using a well established spaceflight analog, and 2) identify whether a return to normative behavioral function following recovery from prolonged bed rest is associated with a restitution of brain structure and function or instead is supported by substitution with compensatory brain processes.
Print