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Hupfeld KE, Lee JK, Gadd NE, Kofman IS, De Dios YE, Bloomberg JJ, Mulavara AP, Seidler RD. Neural Correlates of Vestibular Processing During a Spaceflight Analog With Elevated Carbon Dioxide (CO 2): A Pilot Study. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 13:80. [PMID: 31998084 PMCID: PMC6965349 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Astronauts return to Earth from spaceflight missions with impaired mobility and balance; recovery can last weeks postflight. This is due in large part to the altered vestibular signaling and sensory reweighting that occurs in microgravity. The neural mechanisms of spaceflight-induced vestibular changes are not well understood. Head-down-tilt bed rest (HDBR) is a common spaceflight analog environment that allows for study of body unloading, fluid shifts, and other consequences of spaceflight. Subjects in this context still show vestibular changes despite being in Earth's gravitational environment, potentially due to sensory reweighting. Previously, we found evidence of sensory reweighting and reduced neural efficiency for vestibular processing in subjects who underwent a 70-day HDBR intervention. Here we extend this work by evaluating the impact of HDBR paired with elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) to mimic International Space Station conditions on vestibular neural processing. Eleven participants (6 males, 34 ± 8 years) completed 30 days of HDBR combined with 0.5% atmospheric CO2 (HDBR + CO2). Participants underwent six functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sessions pre-, during, and post- HDBR + CO2 while we measured brain activity in response to pneumatic skull taps (a validated method of vestibular stimulation). We also measured mobility and balance performance several times before and after the intervention. We found support for adaptive neural changes within the vestibular system during bed rest that subsequently recovered in several cortical and cerebellar regions. Further, there were multiple brain regions where greater pre- to post- deactivation was associated with reduced pre- to post- balance declines. That is, increased deactivation of certain brain regions associated with better balance post-HDBR + CO2. We also found that, compared to HDBR alone (n = 13 males; 29 ± 3 years) HDBR + CO2 is associated with greater increases in activation of multiple frontal, parietal, and temporal regions during vestibular stimulation. This suggests interactive or additive effects of bed rest and elevated CO2. Finally, we found stronger correlations between pre- to post- HDBR + CO2 brain changes and dependence on the visual system during balance for subjects who developed signs of Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). Together, these findings have clear implications for understanding the neural mechanisms of bed rest and spaceflight-related changes in vestibular processing, as well as adaptation to altered sensory inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Hupfeld
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jessica K Lee
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Rachael D Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Koppelmans V, Scott JM, Downs ME, Cassady KE, Yuan P, Pasternak O, Wood SJ, De Dios YE, Gadd NE, Kofman I, Riascos R, Reuter-Lorenz PA, Bloomberg JJ, Mulavara AP, Ploutz-Snyder LL, Seidler RD. Exercise effects on bed rest-induced brain changes. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205515. [PMID: 30308004 PMCID: PMC6181401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Spaceflight negatively affects sensorimotor behavior; exercise mitigates some of these effects. Head down tilt bed rest (HDBR) induces body unloading and fluid shifts, and is often used to investigate spaceflight effects. Here, we examined whether exercise mitigates effects of 70 days HDBR on the brain and if fitness and brain changes with HDBR are related. METHODS HDBR subjects were randomized to no-exercise (n = 5) or traditional aerobic and resistance exercise (n = 5). Additionally, a flywheel exercise group was included (n = 8). Exercise protocols for exercise groups were similar in intensity, therefore these groups were pooled in statistical analyses. Pre and post-HDBR MRI (structure and structural/functional connectivity) and physical fitness measures (lower body strength, muscle cross sectional area, VO2 max, body composition) were collected. Voxel-wise permutation analyses were used to test group differences in brain changes, and their associations with fitness changes. RESULTS Comparisons of exercisers to controls revealed that exercise led to smaller fitness deterioration with HDBR but did not affect brain volume or connectivity. Group comparisons showed that exercise modulated post-HDBR recovery of brain connectivity in somatosensory regions. Posthoc analysis showed that this was related to functional connectivity decrease with HDBR in non-exercisers but not in exercisers. Correlational analyses between fitness and brain changes showed that fitness decreases were associated with functional connectivity and volumetric increases (all r >.74), potentially reflecting compensation. Modest brain changes or even decreases in connectivity and volume were observed in subjects who maintained or showed small fitness gains. These results did not survive Bonferroni correction, but can be considered meaningful because of the large effect sizes. CONCLUSION Exercise performed during HDBR mitigates declines in fitness and strength. Associations between fitness and brain connectivity and volume changes, although unadjusted for multiple comparisons in this small sample, suggest that supine exercise reduces compensatory HDBR-induced brain changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Koppelmans
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Jessica M. Scott
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Universities Space Research Association, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Kaitlin E. Cassady
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Peng Yuan
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Department of Psychiatry and Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Scott J. Wood
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | | | - Igor Kofman
- KBRwyle, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Roy Riascos
- The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patricia A. Reuter-Lorenz
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | | | | | - Lori L. Ploutz-Snyder
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Universities Space Research Association, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rachael D. Seidler
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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Ruitenberg MFL, De Dios YE, Gadd NE, Wood SJ, Reuter-Lorenz PA, Kofman I, Bloomberg JJ, Mulavara AP, Seidler RD. Multi-day Adaptation and Savings in Manual and Locomotor Tasks. J Mot Behav 2017; 50:517-527. [PMID: 28937868 DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2017.1371110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Using an individual differences approach, we evaluated whether manual and locomotor adaptation are associated in terms of adaptation and savings across days, and whether they rely on shared underlying mechanisms involving visuospatial working memory or visual field dependence. Participants performed a manual and a locomotor adaptation task during 4 separate test sessions over a 3-month period. Reliable adaptation and savings were observed for both tasks. It was further found that higher visuospatial working memory performance and lower visual field dependence scores were associated with faster learning in the manual and locomotor tasks, respectively. Moreover, adaptation rates were correlated between the 2 tasks in the final test session, suggesting that people may gradually be learning something generalizable about the adaptation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F L Ruitenberg
- a Neuromotor Behavior Lab, School of Kinesiology , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor.,b Department of Experimental Psychology , Ghent University , Belgium
| | - Y E De Dios
- c Science, Technology, and Engineering Group, KBRwyle Houston , Texas
| | - N E Gadd
- c Science, Technology, and Engineering Group, KBRwyle Houston , Texas
| | - S J Wood
- d NASA Johnson Space Center , Houston , Texas
| | | | - I Kofman
- b Department of Experimental Psychology , Ghent University , Belgium
| | | | | | - R D Seidler
- a Neuromotor Behavior Lab, School of Kinesiology , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor.,e Department of Psychology , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor
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Goel R, De Dios YE, Gadd NE, Caldwell EE, Peters BT, Reschke MF, Bloomberg JJ, Oddsson LIE, Mulavara AP. Assessing Somatosensory Utilization during Unipedal Postural Control. Front Syst Neurosci 2017; 11:21. [PMID: 28443004 PMCID: PMC5387047 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2017.00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multisensory-visual, vestibular and somatosensory information is integrated for appropriate postural control. The primary goal of this study was to assess somatosensory utilization during a functional motor task of unipedal postural control, in normal healthy adults. Assessing individual bias in the utilization of individual sensory contributions during postural control may help customization of rehabilitation protocols. In this study, a test paradigm of unipedal stance control in supine orientation with and without vision was assessed. Postural control in this test paradigm was hypothesized to utilize predominantly contributions of somatosensory information from the feet and ankle joint, with minimal vestibular input. Fourteen healthy subjects "stood" supine on their dominant leg while strapped to a backpack frame that was freely moving on air-bearings, to remove available otolith tilt cues with respect to gravity that influences postural control when standing upright. The backpack was attached through a cable to a pneumatic cylinder that provided a gravity-like load. Subjects performed three trials each with Eyes-open (EO) and Eyes-closed (EC) while loaded with 60% body weight. There was no difference in unipedal stance time (UST) across the two conditions with EC condition challenging the postural control system greater than the EO condition. Stabilogram-diffusion analysis (SDA) indicated that the critical mean square displacement was significantly different between the two conditions. Vestibular cues, both in terms of magnitude and the duration for which relevant information was available for postural control in this test paradigm, were minimized. These results support our hypothesis that maintaining unipedal stance in supine orientation without vision, minimizes vestibular contribution and thus predominantly utilizes somatosensory information for postural control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Goel
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of HoustonHouston, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lars I E Oddsson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Program in Rehabilitation Science, University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN, USA.,Recaniti School for Community Health Professions, Ben-Gurion University of the NegevBeersheba, Israel
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Yuan P, Koppelmans V, Reuter-Lorenz PA, De Dios YE, Gadd NE, Wood SJ, Riascos R, Kofman IS, Bloomberg JJ, Mulavara AP, Seidler RD. Increased Brain Activation for Dual Tasking with 70-Days Head-Down Bed Rest. Front Syst Neurosci 2016; 10:71. [PMID: 27601982 PMCID: PMC4993791 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2016.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Head-down tilt bed rest (HDBR) has been used as a spaceflight analog to simulate the effects of microgravity exposure on human physiology, sensorimotor function, and cognition on Earth. Previous studies have reported that concurrent performance of motor and cognitive tasks can be impaired during space missions. Understanding the consequences of HDBR for neural control of dual tasking may possibly provide insight into neural efficiency during spaceflight. In the current study, we evaluated how dual task performance and the underlying brain activation changed as a function of HDBR. Eighteen healthy men participated in this study. They remained continuously in the 6° head-down tilt position for 70 days. Functional MRI for bimanual finger tapping was acquired during both single task and dual task conditions, and repeated at 7 time points pre-, during- and post-HDBR. Another 12 healthy males participated as controls who did not undergo HDBR. A widely distributed network involving the frontal, parietal, cingulate, temporal, and occipital cortices exhibited increased activation for dual tasking and increased activation differences between dual and single task conditions during HDBR relative to pre- or post-HDBR. This HDBR-related brain activation increase for dual tasking implies that more neurocognitive control is needed for dual task execution during HDBR compared to pre- and post-HDBR. We observed a positive correlation between pre-to-post HDBR changes in dual-task cost of reaction time and pre-to-post HDBR change in dual-task cost of brain activation in several cerebral and cerebellar regions. These findings could be predictive of changes in dual task processing during spaceflight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Yuan
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | | | - Yiri E De Dios
- Wyle Science, Technology and Engineering Group Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nichole E Gadd
- Wyle Science, Technology and Engineering Group Houston, TX, USA
| | - Scott J Wood
- Department of Psychology, Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Roy Riascos
- The University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, TX, USA
| | - Igor S Kofman
- Wyle Science, Technology and Engineering Group Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Ajitkumar P Mulavara
- NASA Johnson Space CenterHouston, TX, USA; Universities Space Research AssociationHouston, TX, USA
| | - Rachael D Seidler
- School of Kinesiology, University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Psychology, University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI, USA; Neuroscience Program, Medical School, University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI, USA
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Koppelmans V, Mulavara AP, Yuan P, Cassady KE, Cooke KA, Wood SJ, Reuter-Lorenz PA, De Dios YE, Stepanyan V, Szecsy DL, Gadd NE, Kofman I, Scott JM, Downs ME, Bloomberg JJ, Ploutz-Snyder L, Seidler RD. Exercise as potential countermeasure for the effects of 70 days of bed rest on cognitive and sensorimotor performance. Front Syst Neurosci 2015; 9:121. [PMID: 26388746 PMCID: PMC4558429 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2015.00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Spaceflight has been associated with changes in gait and balance; it is unclear whether it affects cognition. Head down tilt bed rest (HDBR) is a microgravity analog that mimics cephalad fluid shifts and body unloading. In consideration of astronaut’s health and mission success, we investigated the effects of HDBR on cognition and sensorimotor function. Furthermore, we investigated if exercise mitigates any cognitive and sensorimotor sequelae of spaceflight. Method: We conducted a 70-day six-degree HDBR study in 10 male subjects who were randomly assigned to a HDBR supine exercise or a HDBR control group. Cognitive measures (i.e., processing speed, manual dexterity, psychomotor speed, visual dependency, and 2D and 3D mental rotation) and sensorimotor performance (functional mobility (FMT) and balance performance) were collected at 12 and 8 days pre-HDBR, at 7, 50, and 70 days in HDBR, and at 8 and 12 days post-HDBR. Exercise comprised resistance training, and continuous and high-intensity interval aerobic exercise. We also repeatedly assessed an outside-of-bed rest control group to examine metric stability. Results: Small practice effects were observed in the control group for some tasks; these were taken into account when analyzing effects of HDBR. No significant effects of HDBR on cognition were observed, although visual dependency during HDBR remained stable in HDBR controls whereas it decreased in HDBR exercise subjects. Furthermore, HDBR was associated with loss of FMT and standing balance performance, which were almost fully recovered 12 days post-HDBR. Aerobic and resistance exercise partially mitigated the effects of HDBR on FMT and accelerated the recovery time course post-HDBR. Discussion: HDBR did not significantly affect cognitive performance but did adversely affect FMT and standing balance performance. Exercise had some protective effects on the deterioration and recovery of FMT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ajitkumar P Mulavara
- NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, USA ; Universities Space Research Association Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peng Yuan
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kaitlin E Cassady
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA ; Department of Psychology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Katherine A Cooke
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA ; Department of Psychology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Scott J Wood
- NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, USA ; Department of Psychology, Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Patricia A Reuter-Lorenz
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA ; Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yiri E De Dios
- Wyle Science, Technology and Engineering Group Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Nichole E Gadd
- Wyle Science, Technology and Engineering Group Houston, TX, USA
| | - Igor Kofman
- Wyle Science, Technology and Engineering Group Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Meghan E Downs
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Lori Ploutz-Snyder
- NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, USA ; Universities Space Research Association Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rachael D Seidler
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA ; Department of Psychology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA ; Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA ; Institute of Gerontology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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