Abstract
Humans are born to live and work on earth’s environment under the influence of gravity. So far, the nervous system has been proven to adapt, when exposed to gravity-lacking environments, due to neuroplasticity developed under the new conditions. The aim of this chapter is to comprehend the NS alterations in space, a gravity-deprived environment, based on the knowledge of its basic structure and mode of functioning of its component parts on earth, discuss the various sensory and motor functions, and furthermore how our senses get together in order to provide information necessary to maintain equilibrium or balance, as well as its manifold relations to other organs. We will further describe the mechanism by which actions are directed and adapted to the conditions of life as well as the factors which have determined the course of evolution and the most significant, its functional relationships on earth with gravity but also in space with weightlessness environment, as well as under the aggravating factors of radiation, isolation and confinement, and noise.
In this chapter, we will examine how our brain and overall nervous system work together to provide us with the direction, guidance, and impulses necessary to function in everyday life. We will discuss the influence of gravity on the sensory and balance centers within our brains and the major effects on the senses and our perceptions that result from the lack of gravity. Those and other issues related to human presence in space will be addressed. To confront physical and functional limitations caused by adjustment of the nervous system to adapt to weightlessness and readapt to earth gravity, countermeasures may be needed, that have been tested, including medication, prevention techniques and training exhercises, physical rehabilitation, and mechanical devices.
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Kourtidou-Papadeli, C. (2021). Effects of Spaceflight on the Nervous System. In: Pathak, Y., Araújo dos Santos, M., Zea, L. (eds) Handbook of Space Pharmaceuticals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50909-9_49-1
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