Hormonal changes after parabolic flight: implications on the development of motion sickness

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Neuroendocrinology
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Parabolic flight maneuvers induce physiological stress and can cause motion sickness.
• Humoral parameters, including hormones, are sensitive indicators of physiological changes.
• Understanding hormonal responses to spaceflight analogs is crucial for astronaut health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the changes in humoral parameters during parabolic flight.
• To compare hormonal responses between individuals affected by motion sickness and unaffected controls.
• To identify potential biomarkers for motion sickness.

Main Methods:

• Measurement of 22 humoral parameters, including stress, gastrointestinal, and volume-regulating hormones.
• Blood samples collected before and after parabolic flight maneuvers in 20 healthy adults.
• Comparison of hormonal data between motion sickness-affected and unaffected groups.

Main Results:

• Cortisol and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) plasma levels significantly increased in the motion sickness group, while decreasing in controls.
• Growth hormone and prolactin showed marked increases in the motion sickness group compared to controls.
• Pancreatic polypeptide, gastrin, insulin, and C-peptide decreased in both groups; renin and aldosterone decreased in the motion sickness group.

Conclusions:

• Increased plasma levels of cortisol and VIP are associated with motion sickness during parabolic flight.
• Hormonal changes, particularly VIP, may contribute to gastrointestinal symptoms of motion sickness.
• These hormonal profiles could serve as biomarkers to distinguish motion sickness from general stress.