Microglia: Ally and Enemy in Deep Space

In 2024 the first female astronaut will land on the moon, advancing our preparations for human missions to Mars. While on Earth we are protected from space radiation by our planet's magnetic field, on such deep space voyages astronauts will be exposed to high energy particles from solar flares and galactic cosmic rays (GCR). This exposure carries risks to the central nervous system (CNS) that could jeopardize the mission and astronaut health. Earth-bound studies have employed a variety of single-beam and sequential radiation exposures to simulate the effects of GCR exposure in rodents. Multiple studies have shown that GCR simulation induces a maladaptive activation of microglia - the brain-resident immune cells. GCR simulation also induced synaptic changes resulting in lasting cognitive and behavioral defects. Female and male mice show different susceptibilities to GCR exposure, and evidence suggests this sexually dimorphic response is linked to microglia. Manipulating microglia can prevent the development of cognitive deficits in male mice exposed to components of GCR. This discovery may provide clues towards how to protect astronauts' cognitive and behavioral health both during deep space missions and upon return to Earth.