[Changes of brain potentials related to selective mental arithmetic during simulated weightlessness]

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Human Physiology
• Space Medicine

Background:

• Understanding the physiological effects of altered gravity on the human brain is crucial for space exploration.
• Simulated weightlessness models, such as head down tilt, are used to investigate these effects.
• Brain function, particularly cognitive processing, may be sensitive to changes in gravitational load.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of simulated weightlessness on brain function state.
• To compare brain event-related potentials (ERPs) during a cognitive task under different gravitational simulations.
• To assess changes in neural response during simulated weightlessness.

Main Methods:

• 15 healthy subjects participated in the study.
• Brain event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during a selective mental arithmetic task.
• Comparisons were made between head down tilt (HDT) and head up tilt (HUT) conditions to simulate weightlessness.

Main Results:

• Target flash signals elicited significant slow positive potentials in ERPs.
• The amplitude of these potentials significantly decreased during head down tilt (HDT) compared to head up tilt (HUT).
• This reduction indicates a decline in the brain's ability to respond during simulated weightlessness.

Conclusions:

• Simulated weightlessness negatively affects brain function state.
• The observed decrease in ERP amplitude suggests impaired neural processing and cognitive response.
• These findings highlight potential challenges for astronauts performing complex tasks in space.