Monitoring Desynchronization of the Circadian Timing System in Space and during Isolation and Confinement
- Paper number
IAC-11,A1,2,18,x10599
- Author
Dr. Alexander Christoph Stahn, Center for Space Medicine Berlin (ZWMB), Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Andreas Werner, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Germany
- Coauthor
Mr. Mathias Steinach, Center for Space Medicine Berlin (ZWMB), Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Oliver Opatz, Center for Space Medicine Berlin (ZWMB), Germany
- Coauthor
Mr. Stefan Mendt, Free University of Berlin, Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Dieter Kunz, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Daniel Belavy, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Germany
- Coauthor
Prof. Dieter Felsenberg, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Frank Sattler, Dragerwerke Luebeck, Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Jochim Koch, Dragerwerke Luebeck, Germany
- Coauthor
Prof. Hanns-Christian Gunga, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Germany
- Year
2011
- Abstract
It has been recently suggested that sleep deprivation during space missions might also be related to disruptions of the circadian organization. Given that the desynchronization of the circadian system can be detrimental to mental and physical health on the one side as well as the increasing duration of space missions and their concomitant increased confinement and isolation of crew members on the other side, problems associated with changes of the circadian rhythm might be increasingly prominent during future exploratory missions. Therefore, simple and accurate monitoring of circadian rhythm would promote the study of the detrimental effects of extended confinement and isolation during long space missions. Furthermore, such research would provide the basis for countermeasures and direct treatment for proper re-entrainment and synchronization of the circadian system to maintain physical and mental well-being and performance. Recently, we therefore presented a new non-invasive method called Double Sensor located at the forehead, combining a skin surface temperature sensor with a heat flux sensor, to achieve this goal under various physical and environmental conditions. Based on this experience the purpose of the present study was to explore the potential of the Double Sensor for monitoring circadian rhythms. Continuous data for both the Double Sensor positioned at the forehead on the vertical line above the eye directly underneath the hairline and a rectal thermistor were collected during 6 degree head-down-tilt bedrest for 24 h as part of the 2nd Berlin BedRest Study (BBR2-2) in 2007/2008 for a total of seven men (Age mean 31.9, SD = 8.0). Though Double Sensor recordings were characterized by higher variation compared to rectal temperature measurements, cosinor analysis revealed that there were no significant differences for mesor, acrophase, and amplitude between the methods (P = 0.310 to 0.866). Individual differences for amplitude ranged between -0.21 degree Celsius and +0.19 degree Celsius. More importantly, differences in acrophase were as low as about 1 h (1.18 h to 1.49 h). In conclusion, the Double Sensor technology was found to be valid technique to monitor circadian rhythm. Very recent preliminary novel findings of the use and limitations of the technique during different settings of confinement and isolation such as Antarctica are presented and discussed. It is suggested that this approach will significantly lead to a better understanding of the circadian timing system in various research settings including isolation and confinement as well as microgravity conditions.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
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