Persistent deterioration of visuospatial performance in spaceflight
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2021-12
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Although human adaptation to spaceflight has been studied for decades, little is known about its long-term effects on brain and behavior. The present study investigated visuospatial performance and associated electrophysiological responses in astronauts before, during, and after an approximately half-year long mission to the International Space Station. Here we report findings demonstrating that cognitive performance can suffer marked decrements during spaceflight. Astronauts were slower and more error-prone on orbit than on Earth, while event-related brain potentials reflected diminished attentional resources. Our study is the first to provide evidence for impaired performance during both the initial (~ 8 days) and later (~ 50 days) stages of spaceflight, without any signs of adaptation. Results indicate restricted adaptability to spaceflight conditions and calls for new research prior to deep space explorations.
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Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).
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Takács , E , Barkaszi , I , Czigler , I , Pató , L G , Altbäcker , A , McIntyre , J , Cheron , G & Balázs , L 2021 , ' Persistent deterioration of visuospatial performance in spaceflight ' , Scientific Reports , vol. 11 , no. 1 , 9590 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88938-6