Spaceflight Effects on Cognitive Functioning

Enrolling by invitation at 2 trial locations

Overseen By Alexander Stahn, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Disqualifiers: Tinnitus, Hearing loss, Metallic implants, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 22

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how extended space travel affects thinking skills and brain health. It compares astronauts on 6-month and 12-month missions to those staying on Earth as controls. The study examines general cognitive performance and specific brain changes, particularly in the hippocampus, which is crucial for learning and memory. Suitable participants include astronauts or individuals willing to act as astronaut surrogates, matched by sex, age, and education, without conditions that interfere with MRI scans. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research on space travel's impact on brain health.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you have a medication pump, it may affect your eligibility for MRI testing.

What prior data suggests that spaceflight is safe for cognitive functioning?

Research has shown that long spaceflights, such as 6-month and 12-month missions on the International Space Station, present certain challenges. Studies have found that astronauts often experience stress during extended periods in space, which can lead to issues like depression and cognitive changes.

Further research has examined how space conditions, such as microgravity and distance from Earth, affect cognition and behavior. For instance, astronauts may undergo changes in brain structure, impacting their thinking and problem-solving abilities.

While these effects are significant, the research enhances understanding of the risks and aids in astronaut preparation. Potential participants should know that space missions are closely monitored to manage these risks. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the "Spaceflight Effects on Cognitive Functioning" trial because it explores how extended space travel impacts cognitive abilities, a relatively uncharted territory. Unlike current cognitive studies that typically occur on Earth, this trial examines the effects of microgravity and space conditions over six and twelve-month periods. The unique setting of the International Space Station allows scientists to collect biometric and cognitive data under conditions that can't be replicated on Earth, offering insights that could transform our understanding of human cognition in space. This trial could pave the way for new strategies to maintain astronaut health on long-duration missions, such as those to Mars.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for cognitive functioning?

This trial will compare astronauts on 6-month and 12-month missions to the International Space Station (ISS) with a control group on Earth. Research has shown that astronauts on 6-month missions generally do not experience a decline in thinking skills, with abilities like memory and attention usually remaining stable. However, spending six months in space can alter the brain's structure, such as reducing white matter, which is crucial for communication between different brain regions.

For 12-month missions, studies have shown more significant changes in the brain compared to 6-month missions. These include shifts in brain fluids and structural changes. Evidence indicates that thinking speed and attention can slow down during longer missions. These changes suggest that while thinking skills might remain stable, longer space missions can have more noticeable effects on the brain. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for astronauts who meet NASA's criteria and healthy volunteers matched in age and education to the astronauts. Participants must be able to undergo MRI scans, not have significant hearing loss, implanted medical devices, previous major brain or heart surgery, pregnancy potential, tattoos with metallic ink, or non-removable metal objects in their body.

Inclusion Criteria

Astronauts (according to NASA requirements)

I am healthy and my age and education match those of astronauts.

Exclusion Criteria

You have metal fragments in your body from an accident or injury, such as shrapnel from a bomb or a metal object that got stuck in your body.

You have received acupuncture treatment with needles.

I have had surgery on my brain or heart.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-flight Baseline

Participants undergo baseline cognitive and biometric assessments prior to spaceflight

6 months

Multiple visits for assessments

Spaceflight (2-Month Arm)

Astronauts on 2-month missions undergo cognitive and biometric assessments during spaceflight

2 months

2 in-flight assessments

Spaceflight (6-Month Arm)

Astronauts on 6-month missions undergo cognitive and biometric assessments during spaceflight

6 months

6 in-flight assessments

Spaceflight (12-Month Arm)

Astronauts on 12-month missions undergo cognitive and biometric assessments during spaceflight

12 months

12 in-flight assessments

Post-flight Follow-up

Participants are monitored for cognitive and structural brain changes after returning to Earth

1 month

2 visits (5 days and 30 days post-flight)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Controls
• Spaceflight

Trial Overview The study examines how long-duration spaceflights (12 months) aboard the International Space Station affect cognitive abilities and brain structure compared to shorter missions (6 months and 2 months). It focuses on general cognition using a test battery and spatial cognition alongside changes in the hippocampus.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: No Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subjects matched to 12-month astronauts that stay on Earth and are investigated at similar time points.

Group II: 6-Month Arm Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Astronauts on 6-month International Space Station missions will be exposed to spaceflight for a duration of 6 months. Biometric and cognitive data will routinely be collected.

Group III: 12-Month Arm Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Astronauts on 12-month International Space Station missions will be exposed to spaceflight for a duration of 12 months. Biometric and cognitive data will routinely be collected.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pennsylvania

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,118

Recruited

45,270,000+

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collaborator

Trials

32

Recruited

1,900+

DLR German Aerospace Center

Collaborator

Trials

26

Recruited

5,900+

Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Collaborator

Trials

1,071

Recruited

3,739,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7446230/

The Impact of 6 and 12 Months in Space on Human Brain ... Twelve months in space generally resulted in larger changes across multiple brain areas compared with 6-month missions and aging, particularly for fluid shifts.

2. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41398-023-02638-5

Long-term spaceflight composite stress induces ... The famous “NASA TWINS STUDY” also provided a scientific finding that extended mission duration (12 months) may negatively affect postflight ...

3. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/news/2024/11/20/astronauts-slower-space-no-permanent-cognitive-decline

Astronauts found to process some tasks slower in space ... Researchers found that astronauts' processing speed, working memory, and attention slowed down, but a few months in space did not result in ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11582179/

Effect of spaceflight experience on human brain structure ... 12-month missions in space resulted in larger changes in brain structure and fluid shifts compared to 6-month missions and aging. Changes in ...

5. thelancet.com thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(24)00224-2/abstract

Effects of spaceflight on the brain Microgravity results in headward fluid shifts, ventricular expansion, an upward shift of the brain within the skull, and remodelling of grey and white matter.

6. ntrs.nasa.gov ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20240012742/downloads/CTA_Manuscript_final.pdf

cognitive performance assessment for exploration class This work identifies the specific cognitive challenges that astronauts are likely to encounter during surface exploration EVA, and provides the ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10632511/

Long-term spaceflight composite stress induces depression ... This kind of long-term spaceflight composite stress (LSCS) could also induce depression and cognitive impairment in various ways.

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763422001658

Impact of spaceflight stressors on behavior and cognition Neurocognitive consequences of exposure to spaceflight stressors were evaluated. Radiation, sleep deprivation, isolation and microgravity were critically ...

9. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41598-022-14456-8

Dynamic ensemble prediction of cognitive performance in ... In this paper, we predict neurobehavioral performance over the course of a 6-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), using ISS ...

10. web.musc.edu web.musc.edu/about/news-center/2019/10/30/brain-changes-in-space-missions

Study demonstrates how cognitive performance correlates ... A new study demonstrates for the first time that changes in cognitive performance correlate with changes in brain structure in NASA astronauts ...