A PNAS MRI study of 26 astronauts shows brains physically shift (backward, upward, rotation) in microgravity and that sensorimotor regions displace more than the whole brain; magnitude of regional shifts (posterior insula, supplementary motor cortex) correlates with post‑flight balance declines and scales with mission length. Changes appear largely reversible but raise concrete questions about cumulative effects, screening, and countermeasures for long missions.
— If spaceflight changes brain structure and function in ways that affect balance, cognition or sensorimotor integration, that requires funding, regulation, and ethical review of long‑duration human space programs and medical monitoring protocols.
BeauHD
2026.01.16
75% relevant
Both items center on astronaut health and the limits of current on‑orbit medicine; the medevac underscores the operational need explored by the existing idea (physiological changes and medical risks of long‑duration flight) and strengthens the argument that human health must be a top policy priority for station operations and future deep‑space missions.
Jake Currie
2026.01.12
100% relevant
PNAS study on 26 astronauts showing regional displacements (posterior insula linked to balance decline; supplementary motor cortex shift in >1‑year missions) and overall brain rotation/translation after microgravity exposure.
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