Physiology Research Possibilities
on GSC Space Facilities
Virtually every system in the body - from bones and muscles to the immune system - is tied to and affected by the force of gravity. When human and animal research subjects travel to the low-gravity environment of Earth orbit, each system is affected and can be studied under conditions that are unique not only in the history of biomedical research but also in the history of life on Earth.
Brain and Nervous System Research
Because of the profound effects that the lack of gravity has on the sense of balance and orientation, basic neurosensory research conducted in space offers a unique opportunity for insights into the ways in which the brain and body interact. This research has great potential for helping researchers understand the basis of learning and memory.
Highlights of Recent Research
Space research on the body's balance system has resulted in new discoveries of sensory pathways and the nervous system's capacity to adapt. This fundamental advance in our understanding of the brain may aid in the development of improved treatments for nervous system disorders.
Research has produced computer techniques for creating three-dimensional maps of neurons within gravity-sensing tissues. This work has enormous potential both for advancing neuroscience and for enhancing rapid access to many other kinds of medical imaging data. Detailed information on the way neurons are organized in the nervous system (neural nets) may someday support the development of new computer architectures.
Musculoskeletal Research
Osteoporosis affects some 25 million Americans, and it is estimated that this condition contributes to 1.3 million bone fractures annually. New preventative measures and treatments could save $30-60 billion in medical treatment costs per year.
Exposure to low gravity causes otherwise healthy young astronauts to experience rapid loss of bone mass (bone demineralization), comparable to osteoporosis but progressing at a much faster rate. By studying bone and muscle mass reduction in astronauts, Space research may contribute to our understanding of the causes of osteoporosis and help researchers develop preventative or rehavilitative regimes for bedridden or elderly patients.
Highlights of Recent Research
In cooperation with investigators at Genetech, Inc., government researchers have demonstrated that muscle atrophy can be prevented using a combination of exercise and growth hormone. This approach opens new therapeutic avenues for rehabilitation, as well as for preventing some of the changes that accompany aging.
Orbital research has demonstrated that changes in hormones do not completely explain the rapid loss of bone calcium that accompanies space-flight. These findings may lead to new developments in diagnosing and treating skelatal disorders such as osteoporosis.
Government researchers have developed a new theory of remodeling in bone. In addition to stimulating new avenues of basic research, this new model has been applied by others to evaulate artificial joints, to study the influence of exercise on bone density, and to study age-associated bone loss.
Copyright © 1998 by General Space Corporation. All Rights reserved.