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EXPERIMENT
MOP - Motion perception: Vestibular adaptation to G-transitions
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 | Physiology: Integrative gravitational physiology |
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 | ISS 8S (Soyuz TMA-4) Dutch "Delta" Mission |
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 | | (1) | TNO Human Factors
PO Box 23
3769ZG Soesterberg
THE NETHERLANDS
| Tel: | +31-346356371 | | Fax: | +31-346353977 | | e-mail: | bos@tm.tno.nlbos@tm.tno.nl |
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 | | [1] | S.A.E. Nooij, J.E. Bos, W.J. Ockels, (2004), "Investigation of Vestibular adaptation to changing gravity levels on Earth", Journal of Vestibular Research, 14, pp. 133. | | [2] | S.A.E. Nooij, A.F. Le Mair, J.E. Bos, E.L. Groen, (2005), "Vestibular adpaptation to changing gravity levels and the orientation of Listing?s plane", Journal of Gravitational Physiology, 12, 1, pp. 27-28. | | [3] | S.A.E. Nooij, J.E. Bos, (2007), "Sickness induced by head movements after different centrifugal G_x-loads and durations", Journal of Vestibular Research, 17, 5-6, pp. 323-332. | | [4] | A. Mert, W. Bles, S.A.E. Nooij, (2007), "Hyperventilation in a Motion Sickness Desensitization Program", Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine, 78, pp. 505-509. | | [5] | S.A.E. Nooij, J.E. Bos, E.L. Groe, (2007), "Motion sickness provoked by torso rotation", Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine, 78, pp. 444. | | [6] | S.A.E. Nooij, J. Bos, E. Groen, W. Bles, W.J. Ockels, (2007), "Space sickness on Earth", Microgravity Science and Technology, 19, 5-6, pp. 112-117. | | [7] | J.J.W.A. van Loon, F.J. Medina, H. Stenuit, E. Istasse, M. Heppener, R. Marco, (2007), "The National-ESA Soyuz missions Andromède, Marco Polo, Odissea, Cervantes, DELTA and Eneide", Microgravity Science and Technology, 19, 5-6, DOI: 10.1007/BF02919448, pp. 9-32. | | [8] | S.A.E. Nooij, (2008), "Vestibular adaptation to an altered gravitational environment: Consequences for spatial orientation", Dissertation, Delft University of Technology, ISBN 978-90-9022982-9. | | [9] | S.A. Nooij, R. Vanspauwen, J.E. Bos, F. Wuyts, (2011), "A re-investigation of the role of utricular asymmetries in Space Motion Sickness", Journal of Vestibular Research, 21, pp. 141-151. | | [10] | E. Groen, J. Bos, S. Nooij, (2012), "Final Results of the MOP Experiment: Ground-based Simulation of Space Adaptation Syndrome", Conference Paper for Life in Space for Life on Earth Symposium, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, 18-22 June 2012. |
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 | During the first days in space, i.e., after a transition from 1G to 0G, more than 50% of the astro- (and cosmonauts) suffer from the Space Adaptation Syndrome (SAS).The symptoms of SAS, like nausea and dizziness, are especially provoked by head movements. Astronauts have mentioned close similarities between the symptoms of SAS and the symptoms they experienced after a 1 hour centrifuge run on Earth, i.e., after a transition from 3G to 1G (denoted by Sickness Induced by Centrifugation, SIC).
The main scientific objective of the experiment is to gain insight in the process of vestibular adaptation to a gravity transition. Adaptation will be assessed by rating motion perception as a result of body movements. A second objective is to correlate susceptibility to Space Adaptation Syndrome (SAS) with susceptibility to Sickness Induced by Centrifugation (SIC).
The experimental results will allow the team to establish the time course of the adaptation process and thereby set a further step in the determination of key parameters in vestibular adaptation.
related research:
MOP - Motion perception: Vestibular adaptation to G-transitions
ISS 11S (Soyuz TMA-7) + Increment 12
Garments for Orbital Activities in weightLessness (GOAL) and Vestibular Adaptation to G-Transitions: Motion Perception (GOAL/MOP)
ISS 10S (Soyuz TMA-6) Italian "Eneide" Mission
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 | Vestibular adaptation to a gravity transition is assessed by rating motion perception as a result of body movements. To this end, the cosmonauts are asked to fill in a short questionnaire every day during the spaceflight, wherein they report their motion sensation as a result of head movements, and whether they experience any discomfort regarding SAS caused by their daily activities. Emphasis will lie on the effect of head movements around the three principal axes. To correlate susceptibility to SAS with susceptibility to SIC, prior to the spaceflight, a ground experiment is performed wherein the cosmonauts susceptibility to SIC is assessed. The cosmonaut will be exposed to hypergravity (a load of 3Gx for 1 hour) in a human centrifuge. Before and after the centrifuge run, some vestibular tests are performed to identify possible adaptation parameters. |
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 | During several space missions (DELTA, ENEIDE, 11S), we related susceptibility to Space Adaptation Syndrome (SAS) and to Sickness Induced by Centrifugation (SIC) in 11 astronauts and found 4 of them being susceptible to both SIC and SAS, and 7 being not susceptible to SIC nor to SAS. This correspondence in susceptibility suggests that SIC and SAS share the same underlying mechanism. To further study this mechanism, several vestibular parameters have been investigated (e.g. postural stability, vestibularly driven eye movements, subjective vertical). We found some striking changes in individual cases that are possibly due to the centrifuge run. However, the variability between subjects generally is very large, making physiological links to SIC and SAS still hard to find. |
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 |  | For a very comprehensive overview on the first six ESA missions to the ISS, please, consult the following reference document - see also document no. 8 in the list of references above:
The National - ESA Soyuz missions Andromède, Marco Polo, Odissea, Cervantes, Delta and Eneide;
Jack J. W. A. van Loon, F. Javier Medina, Hilde Stenuit, Eric Istasse, Marc Heppener and Roberto Marco;
Microgravity Science and Technology;
Volume 19, Numbers 5-6 (2007), 9-32, DOI: 10.1007/BF02919448 |  |
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 | Patrik Sundblad (e-mail: patrik.sundblad@esa.int) |
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