EXPERIMENT INFORMATION
The vestibular system is situated in the inner ear and comprises two components: the otolith organs, which perceive linear accelerations (gravity) and the semicircular canals, which perceive angular accelerations (rotational movements). The vestibular system sends neural signals to the central nervous system, and regulates posture, eye movements, arterial pressure, and muscle-bone relationship. However, it is known that the vestibular system is highly plastic.
Spaceflight may differentially affect gravity and rotation sensors, given the input to the gravity sensor becomes zero but input to the rotation sensor is preserved in space. To examine this, gravity and rotation sensor function will be separately evaluated before and after the ISS mission, and these functions will be correlated to body balance impairment.
These studies are important, because the impaired vestibular system may relate spaceflight-induced medical problems such as gravity sickness, impaired body balance, orthostatic hypotension, and muscle and bone atrophy. To examine mechanisms of spaceflight-induced medical problems, investigators separately evaluate otolith and canal functions, and test whether weak galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) can ameliorate an impaired vestibular function. The purpose of the research is to evaluate otolith and canal functions separately and to correlate those functions to body balance impairment. Additionally, the effect of weak-noise-GVS on body balance will be examined.
| Mission | Launch/Start Date | Landing/End Date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expedition 54 | 12/14/2017 | 02/27/2018 | 75 days |
| Expedition 55 | 02/27/2018 | 06/03/2018 | 96 days |
| Expedition 56 | 06/03/2018 | 10/04/2018 | 123 days |
| Expedition 57 | 10/04/2018 | 12/20/2018 | 77 days |
| Expedition 58 | 12/18/2018 | 03/14/2019 | 85 days |
| Expedition 59 | 03/14/2019 | In progress | |
| Expedition 60 | Future mission |
Project Manager: Eric Gallagher