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Raber J, Holden S, Kessler K, Glaeser B, McQuesten C, Chaudhari M, Stenzel F, Lenarczyk M, Leonard SW, Morré J, Choi J, Kronenberg A, Borg A, Kwok A, Stevens JF, Olsen C, Willey JS, Bobe G, Minnier J, Baker JE. Effects of photon irradiation in the presence and absence of hindlimb unloading on the behavioral performance and metabolic pathways in the plasma of Fischer rats. Front Physiol 2024; 14:1316186. [PMID: 38260101 PMCID: PMC10800373 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1316186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The space environment astronauts experience during space missions consists of multiple environmental challenges, including microgravity. In this study, we assessed the behavioral and cognitive performances of male Fisher rats 2 months after sham irradiation or total body irradiation with photons in the absence or presence of simulated microgravity. We analyzed the plasma collected 9 months after sham irradiation or total body irradiation for distinct alterations in metabolic pathways and to determine whether changes to metabolic measures were associated with specific behavioral and cognitive measures. Methods: A total of 344 male Fischer rats were irradiated with photons (6 MeV; 3, 8, or 10 Gy) in the absence or presence of simulated weightlessness achieved using hindlimb unloading (HU). To identify potential plasma biomarkers of photon radiation exposure or the HU condition for behavioral or cognitive performance, we performed regression analyses. Results: The behavioral effects of HU on activity levels in an open field, measures of anxiety in an elevated plus maze, and anhedonia in the M&M consumption test were more pronounced than those of photon irradiation. Phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan metabolism, and phenylalanine metabolism and biosynthesis showed very strong pathway changes, following photon irradiation and HU in animals irradiated with 3 Gy. Here, 29 out of 101 plasma metabolites were associated with 1 out of 13 behavioral measures. In the absence of HU, 22 metabolites were related to behavioral and cognitive measures. In HU animals that were sham-irradiated or irradiated with 8 Gy, one metabolite was related to behavioral and cognitive measures. In HU animals irradiated with 3 Gy, six metabolites were related to behavioral and cognitive measures. Discussion: These data suggest that it will be possible to develop stable plasma biomarkers of behavioral and cognitive performance, following environmental challenges like HU and radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Departments of Neurology, and Radiation Medicine, Division of Neuroscience ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Sarah Holden
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Kat Kessler
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Breanna Glaeser
- Neuroscience Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Chloe McQuesten
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Mitali Chaudhari
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Fiona Stenzel
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Marek Lenarczyk
- Radiation Biosciences Laboratory, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Scott Willem Leonard
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Jeffrey Morré
- Mass Spectrometry Core, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jaewoo Choi
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Amy Kronenberg
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Borg
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Andy Kwok
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Jan Frederik Stevens
- College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Christopher Olsen
- Neuroscience Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Jeffrey S. Willey
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Gerd Bobe
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Department of Animal Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jessica Minnier
- Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Knight Cancer Institute Biostatistics Shared Resource, The Knight Cardiovascular Institute, OR Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - John E. Baker
- Neuroscience Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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Desai RI, Limoli CL, Stark CEL, Stark SM. Impact of spaceflight stressors on behavior and cognition: A molecular, neurochemical, and neurobiological perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104676. [PMID: 35461987 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The response of the human body to multiple spaceflight stressors is complex, but mounting evidence implicate risks to CNS functionality as significant, able to threaten metrics of mission success and longer-term behavioral and neurocognitive health. Prolonged exposure to microgravity, sleep disruption, social isolation, fluid shifts, and ionizing radiation have been shown to disrupt mechanisms of homeostasis and neurobiological well-being. The overarching goal of this review is to document the existing evidence of how the major spaceflight stressors, including radiation, microgravity, isolation/confinement, and sleep deprivation, alone or in combination alter molecular, neurochemical, neurobiological, and plasma metabolite/lipid signatures that may be linked to operationally-relevant behavioral and cognitive performance. While certain brain region-specific and/or systemic alterations titrated in part with neurobiological outcome, variations across model systems, study design, and the conspicuous absence of targeted studies implementing combinations of spaceflight stressors, confounded the identification of specific signatures having direct relevance to human activities in space. Summaries are provided for formulating new research directives and more predictive readouts of portending change in neurobiological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev I Desai
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Behavioral Biology Program, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
| | - Charles L Limoli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Medical Sciences I, B146B, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Craig E L Stark
- Department of Neurobiology of Behavior, University of California Irvine, 1400 Biological Sciences III, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Shauna M Stark
- Department of Neurobiology of Behavior, University of California Irvine, 1400 Biological Sciences III, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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Nasrini J, Hermosillo E, Dinges DF, Moore TM, Gur RC, Basner M. Cognitive Performance During Confinement and Sleep Restriction in NASA's Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA). Front Physiol 2020; 11:394. [PMID: 32411017 PMCID: PMC7198903 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintaining optimal cognitive performance in astronauts during spaceflight is critical to crewmember safety and mission success. To investigate the combined effects of confinement, isolation, and sleep deprivation on cognitive performance during spaceflight, we administered the computerized neurobehavioral test battery "Cognition" to crew members of simulated spaceflight missions as part of NASA's ground-based Human Exploration Research Analog project. Cognition was administered to N = 32 astronaut-like subjects in four 1-week missions (campaign 1) and four 2 weeks missions (campaign 2), with four crewmembers per mission. In both campaigns, subjects performed significantly faster on Cognition tasks across time in mission without sacrificing accuracy, which is indicative of a learning effect. On an alertness and affect survey, subjects self-reported significant improvement in several affective domains with time in mission. During the sleep restriction challenge, subjects in campaign 1 were significantly less accurate on a facial emotion identification task during a night of partial sleep restriction. Subjects in campaign 2 were significantly slower and less accurate on psychomotor vigilance, and slower on cognitive throughput and motor praxis tasks during a night of total sleep deprivation. On the survey, subjects reported significantly worsening mood during the sleep loss challenge on several affective domains. These findings suggest that confinement and relative isolation of up to 2 weeks in this environment do not induce a significant negative impact on cognitive performance in any of the domains examined by Cognition, although the concurrent practice effect may have masked some of the mission's effects. Conversely, a night of total sleep deprivation significantly decreased psychomotor vigilance and cognitive throughput performance in astronaut-like subjects. This underscores the importance of using cognitive tests designed specifically for the astronaut population, and that survey a range of cognitive domains to detect the differential effects of the wide range of stressors common to the spaceflight environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jad Nasrini
- Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Emanuel Hermosillo
- Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - David F Dinges
- Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Tyler M Moore
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ruben C Gur
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Mathias Basner
- Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Long-term effects of simulated microgravity and/or chronic exposure to low-dose gamma radiation on behavior and blood-brain barrier integrity. NPJ Microgravity 2016; 2:16019. [PMID: 28725731 PMCID: PMC5516431 DOI: 10.1038/npjmgrav.2016.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Astronauts on lengthy voyages will be exposed to an environment of microgravity and ionizing radiation that may have adverse effects on physical abilities, mood, and cognitive functioning. However, little is known about the long-term effects of combined microgravity and low-dose radiation. We exposed mice to gamma radiation using a cobalt-57 plate (0.01 cGy/h for a total dose of 0.04 Gy), hindlimb unloading to simulate microgravity, or a combination of both for 3 weeks. Mice then underwent a behavioral test battery after 1 week, 1 month, 4 months, and 8 months to assess sensorimotor coordination/balance (rotarod), activity levels (open field), learned helplessness/depression-like behavior (tail suspension test), risk-taking (elevated zero maze), and spatial learning/memory (water maze). Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) expression was assessed in the brain after behavioral testing to determine blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity. Mice that received unloading spent significantly more time in the exposed portions of the elevated zero maze, were hypoactive in the open field, and spent less time struggling on the tail suspension test than mice that did not receive unloading. Mice in the combination group expressed more AQP4 immunoactivity than controls. Elevated zero maze and AQP4 data were correlated. No differences were seen on the water maze or rotarod, and no radiation-only effects were observed. These results suggest that microgravity may lead to changes in exploratory/risk-taking behaviors in the absence of other sensorimotor or cognitive deficits and that combined microgravity and a chronic, low dose of gamma radiation may lead to BBB dysfunction.
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Davis CM, Roma PG, Hienz RD. A rodent model of the human psychomotor vigilance test: Performance comparisons. J Neurosci Methods 2016; 259:57-71. [PMID: 26639896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2015.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is commonly utilized as an objective risk assessment tool to quantify fatigue and sustained attention in laboratory, clinical, and operational settings. NEW METHOD Recent studies have employed a rodent version of the PVT (rPVT) to measure various aspects of attention (lapses in attention, reaction times) under varying experimental conditions. RESULTS Data are presented here to evaluate the short- and long-term utility of the rPVT adapted for laboratory rats designed to track the same types of performance variables as the human PVT-i.e., motor speed, inhibitory control ("impulsivity"), and attention/inattention. Results indicate that the rPVT is readily learned by rats and requires less than two weeks of training to acquire the basic procedure. Additional data are also presented on the effects of radiation exposure on these performance measures that indicate the utility of the procedure for assessing changes in neurobehavioral function in rodents across their lifespans. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) Once stable performances are obtained, rats evidence a high degree of similarity to human performance measures, and include similarities in terms of lapses and reaction times, in addition to percent correct and premature responding. Similar to humans, rats display both a vigilance decrement across time on task and a response-stimulus interval effect. CONCLUSIONS The rPVT is a useful tool in the investigation of the effects of a wide range of variables on vigilance performance that compares favorably to the human PVT and for developing potential prophylactics, countermeasures, and treatments for neurobehavioral dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Davis
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Bayview Medical Center, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Suite 3000, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Peter G Roma
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Bayview Medical Center, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Suite 3000, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Institutes for Behavior Resources, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Robert D Hienz
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Bayview Medical Center, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Suite 3000, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Institutes for Behavior Resources, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Davis CM, Roma PG, Armour E, Gooden VL, Brady JV, Weed MR, Hienz RD. Effects of X-ray radiation on complex visual discrimination learning and social recognition memory in rats. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104393. [PMID: 25099152 PMCID: PMC4123910 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The present report describes an animal model for examining the effects of radiation on a range of neurocognitive functions in rodents that are similar to a number of basic human cognitive functions. Fourteen male Long-Evans rats were trained to perform an automated intra-dimensional set shifting task that consisted of their learning a basic discrimination between two stimulus shapes followed by more complex discrimination stages (e.g., a discrimination reversal, a compound discrimination, a compound reversal, a new shape discrimination, and an intra-dimensional stimulus discrimination reversal). One group of rats was exposed to head-only X-ray radiation (2.3 Gy at a dose rate of 1.9 Gy/min), while a second group received a sham-radiation exposure using the same anesthesia protocol. The irradiated group responded less, had elevated numbers of omitted trials, increased errors, and greater response latencies compared to the sham-irradiated control group. Additionally, social odor recognition memory was tested after radiation exposure by assessing the degree to which rats explored wooden beads impregnated with either their own odors or with the odors of novel, unfamiliar rats; however, no significant effects of radiation on social odor recognition memory were observed. These data suggest that rodent tasks assessing higher-level human cognitive domains are useful in examining the effects of radiation on the CNS, and may be applicable in approximating CNS risks from radiation exposure in clinical populations receiving whole brain irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M. Davis
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Peter G. Roma
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Institutes for Behavior Resources, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Elwood Armour
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Virginia L. Gooden
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joseph V. Brady
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Institutes for Behavior Resources, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Weed
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robert D. Hienz
- Division of Behavioral Biology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Institutes for Behavior Resources, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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Kennedy AR. Biological Effects of Space Radiation and Development of Effective Countermeasures. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2014; 1:10-43. [PMID: 25258703 PMCID: PMC4170231 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2014.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
As part of a program to assess the adverse biological effects expected from astronaut exposure to space radiation, numerous different biological effects relating to astronaut health have been evaluated. There has been major focus recently on the assessment of risks related to exposure to solar particle event (SPE) radiation. The effects related to various types of space radiation exposure that have been evaluated are: gene expression changes (primarily associated with programmed cell death and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling), oxidative stress, gastrointestinal tract bacterial translocation and immune system activation, peripheral hematopoietic cell counts, emesis, blood coagulation, skin, behavior/fatigue (including social exploration, submaximal exercise treadmill and spontaneous locomotor activity), heart functions, alterations in biological endpoints related to astronaut vision problems (lumbar puncture/intracranial pressure, ocular ultrasound and histopathology studies), and survival, as well as long-term effects such as cancer and cataract development. A number of different countermeasures have been identified that can potentially mitigate or prevent the adverse biological effects resulting from exposure to space radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann R Kennedy
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6072
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Merino JJ, Largo C, Caz V, Ibarra L, Posadas S, de Miguel E. Growth hormone increases neural cell adhesion polysialylation state in the dentate gyrus of γ-irradiated rats. Synapse 2011; 65:1239-43. [DOI: 10.1002/syn.20945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Yamamoto ML, Hafer K, Reliene R, Fleming S, Kelly O, Hacke K, Schiestl RH. Effects of 1 GeV/nucleon56Fe Particles on Longevity, Carcinogenesis and Neuromotor Ability inAtm-Deficient Mice. Radiat Res 2011; 175:231-9. [DOI: 10.1667/rr2312.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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