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[A tracking function of human eye in microgravity and during readaptation to earth's gravity]
1Aviakosmicheskaya i Ekologicheskaya Meditsina, Russia.
Aviakosmicheskaia I Ekologicheskaia Meditsina = Aerospace and Environmental Medicine
|March 28, 2002
Summary
Spaceflight alters visual tracking, introducing corrective saccades and disrupting smooth pursuit. Eye movement patterns change over time and upon return to Earth, impacting tracking accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Space Physiology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Visual tracking is crucial for spatial orientation and task performance.
- Understanding eye movement adaptations in microgravity is vital for astronaut health and mission success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in visual tracking mechanisms during and after long-term spaceflight.
- To quantify alterations in saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movements in cosmonauts.
Main Methods:
- Electro-oculography (EOG) was used to record eye movements.
- Cosmonauts performed various visual tracking tasks (saccades, smooth pursuit, optokinetic stimuli).
- Data collected aboard Salyut and Mir space stations from 31 cosmonauts.
Main Results:
- Saccadic structure remained largely unchanged, but corrective microsaccades increased significantly over time.
- Smooth pursuit was initially disrupted, with recovery observed around flight days 6-8.
- Tracking amplitude decreased with mission duration; post-flight alterations in saccades were noted in 50% of cosmonauts.
Conclusions:
- Spaceflight induces significant, though often recoverable, changes in visual tracking.
- Adaptations include increased corrective saccades and initial smooth pursuit breakdown.
- Long-term missions may lead to persistent or periodically disturbed smooth eye tracking.