Short Title:
CIPHER Spatial Cognition
Responsible HRP Element:
Human Factors and Behavioral Performance
Funding Status:
Active - Currently funded and in progress
Procurement Mechanism(s):
|
|
Aims:
This study is part of the 1-Year Mission Complement of studies led by the NASA Human Research Program. This study represents an international collaboration consisting of two projects: Project A: Neurostructural and Cognitive Changes During Long Duration Low-Earth Orbit Missions: Cognition (PI Basner) and Project B: Spatial Cognition and Hippocampal Plasticity During Long-Duration Low-Earth Orbit Missions: HypoCampus in i1YMP (PI Stahn)) with synergistic aims to be carried out in a joint effort by DLR/ESA and NASA. It addresses the HRP Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders, HRP's requirement to demonstrate the presence or absence of unacceptable deleterious neurocognitive effects beyond six-month expeditions. Two in scanner techniques, fMRI while performing the Cognition test battery (Part A) and a special grid cell scan and Pattern Separation Task (Part B), they will determine the biological basis for any changes in cognitive performance, with a focus on hippocampal plasticity (Part B). The specific aims of this study are:
Project A:
-
Effects of Long-Duration Low-Earth Orbit Missions on Cognition Performance
-
Normative Cognitive Performance Data as a Baseline for Future Long-Duration Missions
-
Brain Structural, Functional and Connectivity Substrates of Changes in Cognitive Performance Induced by Long-Duration Low-Earth Orbit Missions
Project B:
-
Visuospatial Brain Domain Changes Induced by Low-Earth Orbit Missions
-
Effects of Long-Duration Low-Earth Orbit Missions on Visuo-Spatial Cognition
-
Biological Basis of Neurocognitive Changes During Low-Earth Orbit Missions
Category:
Risk Characterization, Quantification
Subcategory:
Evidence or Risk Characterization
Description:
Determine if cognitive performance assessed during months 7-12 in the year-long crew compares to cognitive performance assessed during months 1-6 in the standard 6 month crew adjusting for any difference in performance between crews pre-flight. Assess the presence or absence of deleterious neurocognitive effects beyond the experience base of six-month expedition.Assess spatial cognition before, during and after spaceflight, determine key neurotrophic and growth factors at identical time points and identify specific changes in hippocampal plasticity and visuospatial performance in order to predict changes in neuroplasticity and neurobehavioral coping during spaceflight.Demonstrate the impacts of isolation and environmental stressors on visuospatial brain domain changes and spatial navigation.
Internal Customers:
Human Factors and Behavioral Performance
External Customers:
None
Category:
Technology or Tool
Subcategory:
Informatics
Description:
Generate and deliver to NASA a normative database and a database that can serve as a baseline for future long duration missions and one for standard duration missions (should analyses indicate that inflight performance during months 7-12 differs from performance during months 1-6).This study will deliver a single comprehensive set of integrated neuroimaging and neurocognitive tools for the evaluation and ultimately prevention of adverse effects on brain structure and function.
Internal Customers:
None
External Customers:
None