|
EXPERIMENT
Otolith - Otolith Assessment During Postflight Re-adaptation
|
 | Physiology: Integrative gravitational physiology |
|
 | ISS Increment 18
Further missions:
- (2009) ISS Increment 19
- (2009) ISS Increment 20
- (2009) ISS Increment 21-22
- (2010) ISS Increment 23-24
- (2010) ISS Increment 25-26
- (2011) ISS Increment 27-28 |
|
 | A.H. Clarke (1), S.J. Wood (2) |
|
 | | (1) | ENT Department, Campus Benjamin Franklin
Charite Medical School
Hindenburgdamm 30
12200
Berlin
GERMANY
| | (2) | NASA Johnson Space Center
University Space Research Association
2101 NASA Parkway (Code SK-272)
77158 Houston, TX
USA
|
|
|
 | | [1] | F. Wuyts, H. Struyfs, E. Van de Zande, A. Weerts, P.H. Van de Heyning, K. Buytaert, (2012), "Testing the Human Gravity Detector with Ocular VEMP versus Unilateral Centrifugation. Is the Ocular VEMP a Hype?", Conference Paper for Life in Space for Life on Earth Symposium, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, 18-22 June 2012. |
|
|
|
 | |
|
 | Otolith Assessment During Postflight Re-adaptation ( Otolith) will assess otolith (small bones of the inner ear) function in crewmembers preflight and postflight.
- Otolith Assessment During Postflight Re-adaptation (Otolith) will assess otolith (small bones of the inner ear) function before and after space flight to this evaluate otolith-ocular response (OOR) and the subjective visual vertical (SVV) to assess unilateral utricle function. Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) will be recorded in order to assess unilateral saccule function.
- Together this represents a comprehensive examination of all aspects of the otolith system, providing critical information on the validity of the otolith asymmetry hypothesis and on the post flight adaptation of the individual otolith functions.
Specific objectives for the Otolith Assessment During Postflight Re-adaptation ( Otolith) investigation are:
- To measure the gain, symmetry and conjugacy of the unilateral utriculo-ocular response by means of unilateral centrifugation (UC) during preflight baseline and postflight re-adaptation phases.
- To measure the symmetry and offset of the subjective visual vertical during UC, during preflight baseline and postflight re-adaptation phases.
- To measure vestibular evoked myogenic potentials as an indicator of saccule function during preflight baseline and postflight re-adaptation phases.
The three specific objectives are expected to provide information on the changes in otolith responses due to a period in prolonged microgravity and on the re-adaptation to one-g conditions of the otolithic system. |
|
|
 | This is a preflight/postflight investigation which will test both long-duration (more than 150 days in orbit) and short-duration (less than 4 weeks in orbit) subjects. Four sessions will be performed preflight at L-90 (launch minus 90 days), L-60, L-30, L-20, L-10. Five postflight sessions will be performed at R+0, R+1, R+2-3, R+4-5 and R+8-10. |
|
 | As of September 2012, a total of 8 subjects completed the investigation.
Expected results:
Given that the loss of the gravitational force represents a static offloading of the otolith organs, the working hypothesis is that the dynamic OOR (Otolith Ocular Response) will be enhanced in microgravity. Immediately after return to the one-g environment therefore, a corresponding increase in the OOR gain should be observed, and over the course of the following days be observed to return to preflight basline level. This should also be the case with SVV estimation. |
|
 | Patrik Sundblad (e-mail: patrik.sundblad@esa.int) |
|
|
|
|
