The Effect Of Space Flight Factors On Functions Of The Central Nervous System

This book consolidates the current knowledge of how short and long-duration spaceflight affects the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system. It also incorporates the methodology and constraints of studying the central nervous system in space. Chapters detail advances in imaging techniques available to assess intracranial and intraocular pathology as well as translational medicine with an emphasis on brain cancer and neurodegenerative disease in spaceflight. Additionally, the book offers theoretical background information, tested laboratory protocols, and step-by-step methods for reproducible lab experiments to aid neuroscientists and neurobiologists in laboratory testing and experimentation. Spaceflight and the Central Nervous System is the first to comprehensively include all aspects of spaceflight-induced changes in the central nervous system. It is an invaluable resource for basic and clinical laboratory trainees and researchers in aerospace medicine and physiology or for those looking to gain specific knowledge in spaceflight neuroscience.

The report summarizes 16 articles which concentrate heavily on the isolated and combined effects of acceleration and radiation on mammals. Titles are as follows: Effect of radial accelerations on brain temperature; Effect of centrifugation on otolith function; Effect of vibration on cerebrospinal reflexes; Effect of vertical vibration and noise on conditioned reflexes; Changes in cerebral bioelectricity and oxygen metabolism; Effect of vibration and analyzer exclusion on brain metabolism; Cerebral oxygen metabolism, bioelectricity, and conditioned reflex activity during vibration; Respiratory changes during vibration; X-ray effect on cerebral venous flow; Comparative effect of neutron, proton, and gamma irradiation (300 rad); Comparative effect of neutron and gamma irradiation (25 rad); Comparative effect of neutron, proton, and gamma irradiation (150 rad); Comparative effect of chronic and acute gamma irradiation on nervous activity; Effect of prolonged gamma irradiation on vestibular function; Combined effects of vibration and chronic irradiation on vestibular function; Combined effects of vibration and ionizing radiation on conditioned reflexes. (Author).