[en] The prospect of continued manned space missions warrants an in-depth understanding of how prolonged microgravity affects the human brain. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can pinpoint changes reflecting adaptive neuroplasticity across time. We acquired resting-state fMRI data of cosmonauts before, shortly after, and eight months after spaceflight as a follow-up to assess global connectivity changes over time. Our results show persisting connectivity decreases in posterior cingulate cortex and thalamus and persisting increases in the right angular gyrus. Connectivity in the bilateral insular cortex decreased after spaceflight, which reversed at follow-up. No significant connectivity changes across eight months were found in a matched control group. Overall, we show that altered gravitational environments influence functional connectivity longitudinally in multimodal brain hubs, reflecting adaptations to unfamiliar and conflicting sensory input in microgravity. These results provide insights into brain functional modifications occurring during spaceflight, and their further development when back on Earth.
Disciplines :
Neurology Neurosciences & behavior Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Jillings, Steven; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > Lab for Equilibrium Investigations and Aerospace
Pechenkova, Ekaterina; HSE University, Moscow > Laboratory for Cognitive Research
Tomilovskaya Elena; RAS - Russian Academy of Science [RU] > SSC RF - Institute for Biomedical Problem
Rukavishnikov, Ilya; RAS - Russian Academy of Science [RU] > SSC RF - Institute for Biomedical Problem
Jeurissen, Ben; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > imec-Vision Lab
Van Ombergen, Angelique; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > Lab for Equilibrium Investigations and Aerospace ; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > Department of Translational Neuroscience - ENT
Nosikova, Inna; RAS - Russian Academy of Science [RU] > SSC RF - Institute for Biomedical Problem
Rumshiskaya, Alena; National Medical Research Treatment and Rehabilitation Center of the Ministry of Health of Russia > Radiology Department
Annen, Jitka ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Consciousness - Coma Science Group
De Laet, Chloë; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > Lab for Equilibrium Investigations and Aerospace
Schoenmaeker, Catho; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > Lab for Equilibrium Investigations and Aerospace
Sijbers, Jan; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > imec-Vision Lab
Petrovichev, Victor; National Medical Research Treatment and Rehabilitation Center of the Ministry of Health of Russia > Radiology Department
Sunaert, Stefan; KU Leuven - Catholic University of Leuven [BE] > Department of Imaging & Pathology, Translational MRI
Parizel, Paul M; Royal Perth Hospital and University of Western Australia Medical School > Department of Radiology
Sinitsyn, Valentin; MSU - Lomonosov Moscow State University [RU] > Faculty of Fundamental Medicine
zu Eulenburg, Peter; LMU - Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich [DE] > Institute for Neuroradiology
Laureys, Steven ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Centre du Cerveau² ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Consciousness - Coma Science Group
Demertzi, Athina ✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA CRC In vivo Imaging - Physiology of Cognition
Wuyts, Floris L ✱; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > Lab for Equilibrium Investigations and Aerospace
✱ These authors have contributed equally to this work.
Language :
English
Title :
Prolonged microgravity induces reversible and persistent changes on human cerebral connectivity
Publication date :
13 January 2023
Journal title :
Communications Biology
eISSN :
2399-3642
Publisher :
Nature, London, United Kingdom
Volume :
6
Pages :
46
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
European Projects :
H2020 - 945539 - HBP SGA3 - Human Brain Project Specific Grant Agreement 3
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique BELSPO - Belgian Science Policy Office ESA - European Space Agency FWO - Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen RAS - Russian Academy of Sciences Fondation Léon Fredericq FERB - European Biomedical Research Foundation FRB - Fondation Roi Baudouin NSCF - National Natural Science Foundation of China Mind Care Foundation UE - Union Européenne
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