New approaches to countermeasures of the negative effects of microgravity in long-term space flights

Paper number

IAC-05-A1.1.02

Author

Dr. Inessa Kozlovskaya, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russia

Coauthor

Dr. Eugenia Yarmanova, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russia

Year

2005

Abstract

The countermeasures for long-duration space flights are aimed at maintaining physical health and performance of crewmembers high enough to enable them to accomplish mission programs and to return safely to Earth. However, application of these countermeasures, especially physical exercises, at appropriate intensity and volume is not an easy task that is used by most of the cosmonauts as a ready-made excuse for deviation from the prescribed modes. Under these circumstances, the role of so-called passive countermeasures is growing in importance as they help keep up physical fitness when active exercises become problematic.
Investigations performed at IBMP for several years showed that the main stimulus that yields a whole aggregate of the adverse effects of microgravity is elimination (or sharp reduction) of weight-bearing afferentation which automatically deactivates or lessens substantially the tonic system activity followed by a number of secondary physiological and structural alterations.
Based on these notions, the IBMP investigators carried on a broad spectrum of experiments in order to evaluate benefits from direct stimulation of the tonic mechanisms for prevention of the micro-g induced disturbances. To provide this stimulation, special tools were developed and tested including “compensator of support unloading” (CSU) for mechanic stimulation of the foot support zones the same way as during slow and fast walk, and a low-frequency durable suit stimulator for stimulation of tonic muscle fibers. Test validation of these countermeasures in simulated (CSU) and real microgravity (stimulator) evidenced in favour of their effectiveness in preventing the muscular, cardiovascular, central and endocrine effects of microgravity.

Abstract document

IAC-05-A1.1.02.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-05-A1.1.02.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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