Artificial gravity during bed rest deconditioning: A case report

William H. Paloski, Laurence R. Young, Maneesh Arya, Nathaniel Newby, L. Elisabeth Warren, Adrian D. LeBlanc, Scott M. Smith, Sara Zwart, Vincent J. Caiozzo, Kenneth M. Baldwin, Stuart M.C. Lee, Janice V. Meek, Thomas Jarchow, Kimberly Seaton, Walter Sipes, Brian Crucian, Clarence Sams, Alan Natapoff, Alan H. Feiveson, Satish K. MehtaDuane L. Pierson, Raymond Stowe, Maria E. Camacho

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Artificial gravity (AG) using intermittent short-radius centrifugation has been proposed as a multi-system countermeasure that can protect space travelers from adverse physiological changes associated with microgravity or hypogravity environments. We have recently initiated a ground-based study to investigate the effects of AG on deconditioned subjects, and here we present the findings from our first treatment subject. A 27-year-old male subject was subjected to 21 days of continuous 6° head down tilt bed rest punctuated by daily One-hour spins on a short radius centrifuge providing inertial mechanical loading of 2.5 g at the feet decreasing to 1.0 g at the heart. Functional and mechanistic assessments of bone, muscle, cardiovascular, sensory-motor, immune, and neurocognitive system performance were conducted before, during, and after the bed rest period. Our results indicate that daily centrifugation was effective in reducing the expected negative changes in the bone, muscle, and cardiovascular systems primarily targeted by the countermeasure, and show no negative impacts on the sensory-motor, neurocognitive, or immune systems. Indeed, no adverse effects were observed to be associated with the daily centrifugation. These initial results from one subject are encouraging to the potential efficacy of this countermeasure in reducing the negative physiological effects associated with space travel.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAIAA 57th International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2006
PublisherAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc.
Pages142-147
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)9781605600390
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006
Externally publishedYes
EventAIAA 57th International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2006 - Valencia, Spain
Duration: Oct 2 2006Oct 6 2006

Publication series

NameAIAA 57th International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2006
Volume1

Other

OtherAIAA 57th International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2006
Country/TerritorySpain
CityValencia
Period10/2/0610/6/06

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Space and Planetary Science
  • Aerospace Engineering

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