Responsible Center: NASA JSC
Grant Monitor: Williams, Thomas
Center Contact: 281-483-8773 thomas.j.will1@nasa.gov
Unique ID: 10808
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Solicitation / Funding Source: 2014-15 HERO NNJ14ZSA001N-MIXEDTOPICS. Appendix E: Behavioral Health & Human Health Countermeasures Topics
Grant/Contract No.: NNX16AI53G
Project Type: Ground
Flight Program:
TechPort: No |
No. of Post Docs: 0
No. of PhD Candidates: 0
No. of Master's Candidates: 0
No. of Bachelor's Candidates: 0
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No. of PhD Degrees: 0
No. of Master's Degrees: 0
No. of Bachelor's Degrees: 0
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Human Research Program Elements: |
(1) HFBP:Human Factors & Behavioral Performance (IRP Rev H)
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Human Research Program Risks: |
(1) BMed:Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders
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Human Research Program Gaps: |
(1) BMed-101:We need to identify, quantify, and validate the key selection factors for astronaut cognitive and behavioral strengths (e.g., resiliency) and operationally-relevant performance threats for increasingly Earth independent, long-duration, autonomous, and/or long-distance exploration missions. (2) BMed-103:What are the validated, efficacious treatments (individual or Team-based) and/or countermeasures to prevent adverse behavioral conditions, CNS/neurological, and/or psychiatric disorders caused by either single and/or integrated exposures to spaceflight hazards during exploration class missions? (3) BMed-104:Given the potentially negative spaceflight associated CNS changes and behavioral experiences of stressors during long-duration missions (e.g., isolation, confinement, reduced sensory stimulation, altered gravity, space radiation), what are validated modifications to habitat/vehicle to mitigate stressors impacting on CNS / cognition / behavioral health? (4) BMed-105:Given the potentially negative spaceflight associated CNS/cognitive changes and behavioral experiences of stressors during long-duration missions (e.g., isolation, confinement, reduced sensory stimulation, altered gravity, space radiation), what are validated medical or dietary countermeasures to mitigate stressors impacting on CNS / cognition / behavioral health? (5) BMed-107:What are the long-term changes and risks to astronaut health post-mission that, when using a continuity of care model, helps retrospectively identify and understand individual susceptibility (e.g., hereditary, dose, thresholds) to mitigate adverse CNS, cognitive, and behavioral health changes resulting from long-duration exploration missions, promoting the behavioral health of current and future crews?
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Flight Assignment/Project Notes: |
NOTE: End date changed to 11/30/2020 per NSSC information (Ed., 10/22/20)
NOTE: End date updated to 3/31/2020 per NSSC information (Ed., 11/12/19)
NOTE: End date updated to 10/31/2019 per NSSC information (Ed., 5/8/19)
NOTE: End date updated to 4/30/2019 per NSSC information (Ed., 1/23/19)
NOTE: Element change to Human Factors & Behavioral Performance; previously Behavioral Health & Performance (Ed., 1/17/17) |
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Task Description: |
This proposal addresses the risk of Adverse Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders, and the need to identify and validate countermeasures and effective methods for modifying the habitat/vehicle environment that promote individual behavioral health and performance during exploration class missions (BMed1, BMed7). We propose to investigate the efficacy of physical exercise (using a cycle ergometer) combined with an interactive virtual environment, i.e., Hybrid Training, as a countermeasure for augmenting sensory stimulation during long-duration space missions. This countermeasure will combine validated tools and VR (virtual reality) technologies in a new way to reveal the full potential of Hybrid Training, and take into account (a) key needs that fulfill sensory stimulation, (b) “hedonic adaptation,” i.e., a reduced affective response to stimuli with continued or repeated exposure, (c) delivery schedule, and (d) size, mass, and volume requirements. We plan to investigate a crew of N=9 during two 12-14 month Antarctic winter-over missions in Neumayer station (total N=18). We will investigate both immediate and long-term benefits of Hybrid Training. Our primary outcomes are neurostructural and neurofunctional changes assessed with fMRI, and cognitive performance assessed with the Cognition test battery and a virtual maze. We will also assess biochemical markers of stress and neuroplasticity, objective measures of sleep-wake rhythmicity and sleep structure, subjective symptom reports, and group cohesion with unobtrusive proximity measurements as additional outcomes that will provide insights into mechanisms and consequences of the observed structural and functional brain changes, and their reversibility by Hybrid Training. These data will be compared to historic controls from Neumayer station and other Antarctic stations (Concordia, Halley), space analog environments (e.g., Mars500), and the International Space Station (ISS). At the end of the project, we will have a much clearer understanding whether and to what extent the detrimental effects of ICE (isolated, confined, and extreme) environments on neuroplasticity and behavioral health can be mitigated by Hybrid Training. |
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Research Impact/Earth Benefits: |
With the proposed work we will relevantly contribute to the goal of the Human Research Program (HRP) to provide human health and performance countermeasures, knowledge, technologies, and tools to enable safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration. More specifically, our findings, based on state-of-the-art neuroimaging technologies and on innovative, non-invasive, low burden, yet methodologically sound measurement technologies for cognitive, physiological, and crew cohesion outcomes, will relevantly contribute to the development of technologies to provide mission planners and system developers with strategies for monitoring and mitigating crew health and performance risks. These methodologies will also be useful for assessing subjects living in isolated, confined, and extreme environments on Earth. |