Long-duration space travel can have detrimental effects on the human central nervous system, with potential implications for vestibular patients, neurodegenerative disorders, and the elderly.

The effect of spaceflight and microgravity on the human brain

Microgravity significantly affects amino acid metabolism, gut microbial composition, immune function, musculoskeletal health, and astronaut health, requiring specific protein consumption for optimal health.

Impacts of microgravity on amino acid metabolism during spaceflight

Simulated microgravity allows cost-effective research to better understand the impact of weightlessness on cellular functions, potentially advancing our understanding of mechanically driven biology and disease.

Modeling the Impact of Microgravity at the Cellular Level: Implications for Human Disease

Space flight can cause pathophysiological changes similar to accelerated aging, but proper countermeasures can reduce these effects and often reverse them after landing.

Human Pathophysiological Adaptations to the Space Environment

Physiological changes in microgravity include bone demineralization, muscle atrophy, and cardiovascular problems, with pulmonary function being greatly altered but not seriously impaired.

Physiology in microgravity.

Spaceflight-induced accelerated brain aging may provide insights into human neurodegeneration, potentially benefiting life on Earth.

Microgravity and Cosmic Radiations During Space Exploration as a Window Into Neurodegeneration on Earth.

Long-term spaceflights cause dramatic changes in calcium, sodium, and bone metabolism, with potential long-term health risks, and countermeasures are needed to protect astronauts.

The impact of microgravity on bone in humans.

Long-duration spaceflight significantly alters human physiology, with changes in telomere length, DNA methylation, cardiovascular and cognitive effects, and a need for further studies on long-duration missions.

The NASA Twins Study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight

Long-duration spaceflight leads to increased brain ventricular volume, with reduced CSF resorption in microgravity being the underlying cause.

Brain ventricular volume changes induced by long-duration spaceflight

Microgravity analogs like head-down bed rest and dry immersion can help determine the impact of spaceflight on cerebral autoregulation, potentially affecting orthostatic intolerance in astronauts.

Impacts of Microgravity Analogs to Spaceflight on Cerebral Autoregulation

Physiological changes in microgravity include bone demineralization, muscle atrophy, and cardiovascular issues, with pulmonary function being altered but not significantly impaired.

Historical Perspectives: Physiology in microgravity

Microgravity conditions can increase bacterial pathogenicity and resistance to antibiotics, affecting astronauts' health and influencing the selection of appropriate probiotics during space missions.

Impact of microgravity on virulence, antibiotic resistance, and gene expression in beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms.

Long-term space missions, such as Mars or space stations, could potentially negatively impact oral health, requiring preventive measures and crew training to avoid mission jeopardy.

Is oral health affected in long period space missions only by microgravity? A systematic review

Microgravity exposure can cause significant changes in human physiology, with some effects reversed when astronauts return to Earth.

Effects of Microgravity on Human Physiology

Long-duration spaceflight faces unique human-related stressors, and behavioral sciences play a crucial role in supporting crew health and productivity through tools and methodologies.

Psychological and Human Factors in Long Duration Spaceflight

Long-duration bed rest is a common analog for microgravity simulation and testing countermeasures for bone loss, muscle and cardiac atrophy, orthostatic intolerance, and reduced muscle strength/exercise capacity.

Long-duration bed rest as an analog to microgravity.

Long-duration head-down tilt bed rest with elevated CO2 enhances processing speed and reduces functional mobility, with some participants experiencing Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS).

Head Down Tilt Bed Rest Plus Elevated CO2 as a Spaceflight Analog: Effects on Cognitive and Sensorimotor Performance

Spaceflight and microgravity alter the gene expression profile of human cardiovascular progenitors, leading to an early-stage, stem-like state regardless of age.

The Impact of Spaceflight and Microgravity on the Human Islet-1+ Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell Transcriptome

Space flight and microgravity exposure impact female astronaut health and performance, but the extent of these effects and their consistency with male astronauts remain inconclusive.

The Effects of Space Flight and Microgravity Exposure on Female Astronaut Health and Performance

Spaceflight and simulated microgravity can induce liver injury, inflammation, diabetogenic phenotype, and early non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, highlighting the need for measures to counteract liver pathogenesis during long-term space missions.

Hepatology in space: Effects of spaceflight and simulated microgravity on the liver

What is the impact of microgravity on human physiology during long-duration space missions?

These studies suggest that microgravity during long-duration space missions impacts human physiology by affecting the central nervous system, metabolism, immune function, musculoskeletal health, cardiovascular system, brain aging, and bone metabolism, with potential long-term health risks and the need for countermeasures.