When In Space, Astronauts Process Some Tasks Slower
The human body undergoes extreme pressures in space. Astronauts are affected by radiation, altered gravity, loss of sleep, and challenging working conditions.
They are required to perform complex tasks with great care and precision. Making a mistake, no matter how minor, can result in devastating consequences.
A new study is shedding light on the effects of space on astronauts’ cognitive functioning and their performance.
A team of researchers from NASA’s Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory examined the behavior of 25 astronauts who spent an average of six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
They found that the astronauts took longer to complete tasks related to processing speed, working memory, and attention in space than on Earth.
The findings raise concerns about the impact that future missions through the cosmos may have on astronauts’ brains and bodies.
For the study, the astronauts were given a series of 10 tests to complete on Earth, once in advance of their launch to space and twice after their return home. They also had to do the same tests while in space.
The researchers measured speed and accuracy for each of the tests, comparing the performance of the astronauts at five points in time: pre-mission, early and late flight, as well as at 10 and 30 days after landing.
The results revealed that astronauts were slower to respond to tasks assessing processing speed, working memory, and attention in space than on Earth, but their level of accuracy stayed the same. Additionally, the changes in their cognitive behavior did not persist after returning to Earth.
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“We show that there is no evidence of any significant cognitive impairment or neurodegenerative decline in astronauts spending six months on the ISS,” said Dr. Sheena Dev, the first author of the study and a researcher at NASA’s Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory.
“Living and working in space was not associated with widespread cognitive impairment that would be suggestive of significant brain damage.”
Overall, the cognitive performance of the astronauts was stable, which is good news. However, the findings still have implications for their time in space.
Astronauts are exposed to stressors that the human body does not experience on Earth, which can affect the way our brains function.
“Even on Earth, processing speed, working memory, and attention are cognitive domains that can show temporary changes when an individual is under stress. Other domains, such as memory, are less vulnerable to stressors,” Dev said.
“For example, if you happen to have a really busy day but couldn’t get much sleep the night before, you might feel like it’s hard to pay attention or that you need more time to complete tasks.”
The study can help researchers better understand which changes in cognitive performance are more likely to happen when humans go to extreme environments.
As NASA gets ready to send astronauts to the moon again, it is more important than ever to investigate ways to mitigate the harm that space travel does to astronauts.
The research was published in Frontiers in Physiology.
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