Related Experiment Videos
Changes in some digestive enzymes after a seven-day orbital flight
Physiologie (Bucarest)
|January 1, 1983
Summary
Digestive enzyme levels, including amylase and lipase, increased in a cosmonaut after a seven-day space flight, indicating an anabolic response. Uropepsinogen unexpectedly decreased, while serum gastrin rose, suggesting altered digestive activity during space travel.
Area of Science:
- Space Medicine
- Human Physiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Digestive enzyme function is crucial for nutrient absorption.
- Spaceflight is known to induce physiological changes in astronauts.
- Understanding enzyme alterations during space missions is vital for crew health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in serum and urinary digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, uropepsinogen) after a seven-day space flight.
- To differentiate between pancreatic and salivary amylase levels post-flight.
- To correlate enzyme changes with overall digestive activity and physiological responses.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of serum and urine samples from a cosmonaut post-Soyuz 40-Saliut 6 mission.
- Quantification of total, pancreatic, and salivary amylase using Skude and Ihse's method.
- Measurement of lipase and uropepsinogen levels.
- Assay for serum gastrin concentration.
Main Results:
- Increased total serum and urinary amylase, with higher levels of pancreatic amylase compared to salivary amylase.
- Elevated serum and urinary lipase.
- A decrease in uropepsinogen, contrary to expectations.
- Increased serum gastrin levels.
Conclusions:
- Post-flight digestive enzyme changes, particularly increased amylase and lipase, align with an anabolic response.
- The decrease in uropepsinogen warrants further investigation.
- Elevated gastrin suggests an overall increase in digestive activity post-spaceflight.