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Validation of Centrifugation as a Countermeasure for Otolith Deconditioning During Spaceflight (Spin)
03.22.12

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Experiment/Payload Overview

Information provided courtesy of the Erasmus Experiment Archive.
Brief Summary

The Validation of Centrifugation as a Countermeasure for Otolith Deconditioning During Spaceflight (Spin) investigates the effect of microgravity on otolith-ocular reflexes and autonomic function to correlate the otolith-ocular reflex on orthostatic tolerance.

Principal Investigator

  • Floris Wuyts, Ph.D., University of Antwerp, Antwerp, , Belgium

    • Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

  • Andrei Diedrich, Ph.D., M.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
  • Bernard Cohen, Ph.D., M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • Gilles Clement, Ph.D., Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Toulouse, , France
  • Hamish MacDougall, Ph.D., University of Sydney, Sydney, , Australia
  • Kristof Buytaert, MSc., University of Antwerp, Antwerp, , Belgium
  • Nathalie Pattyn, Ph.D., M.D., Royal Military Academy, Brussels, , Belgium
  • Paul Van de Heyning, Ph.D., M.D., University of Antwerp Hospital, Antwerp, , Belgium
  • Robby Vanspauwen, MSc., University of Antwerp, Antwerp, , Belgium
  • Steven Moore, Ph.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • Xavier Neyt, , Royal Military Academy, Brussels, , Belgium

    • Payload Developer Information Pending

    Sponsoring Space Agency

    European Space Agency (ESA)

    Sponsoring Organization:

    Information Pending

    ISS Expedition Duration:

    October 2007 - September 2012



    Expeditions Assigned

    16, 17, 19/20, 21/22, 29/30, 31/32

    Previous ISS Missions

    Spin was first operated on ISS Expedition 16.

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    Experiment/Payload Description

    Research Summary

    • The Validation of Centrifugation as a Countermeasure for Otolith Deconditioning During Spaceflight (Spin) experiment will measure otolith-mediated eye movements, in particular ocular counter-rolling (OCR), spatial orientation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and optokinetic nystagmus (OKN), in response to tilts of the gravito-inertial acceleration vector (GIA) during pre- and post flight tangential centrifugation.


    • Measure OCR, spatial orientation of the VOR and of OKN during pre- and post-flight static roll tilt. Evaluate pre- and post-flight orthostatic tolerance by monitoring heart rate, blood pressure, and fluid shifts during a standardized tilt test as previously used for the Neurolab mission. Segmental body impedance will be used to estimate fluid shifts and stroke volume, from which vascular resistance can be calculated and used as an estimate of sympathetic activation.

    Description

    In contrast to previous studies, postflight measures of both otolith-ocular function and orthostatic tolerance were unimpaired in four payload crewmembers exposed to artificial gravity generated by inflight centrifugation during the Neurolab (STS-90) mission. The aim of the SPIN study is to obtain control measures of otolith and orthostatic function following long-duration missions, utilizing the centrifugation and autonomic testing techniques developed for the Neurolab mission, from crewmembers who have not been exposed to in-flight centrifugation. This will enable a direct comparison with data obtained from the Neurolab crew.

    When otolith-ocular deficits are observed in the crewmembers that are not exposed to intermittent artificial gravity in-flight, this would support the hypothesis that in-flight centripetal acceleration is a countermeasure for otolith deconditioning. Furthermore, a correlation between postflight otolith deconditioning and orthostatic intolerance would establish an otolithic basis for deficits in sympathetic outflow related to orthostatic stress.

    These would be highly significant findings for future long-duration space missions, where providing an artificial gravity countermeasure for otolith and orthostatic deconditioning may prove critical to the well being of the crew, particularly during emergency egress.

    These findings are also relevant to studies of imbalance and orthostatic intolerance on Earth. Many of the postural and locomotor deficits observed in astronauts postflight are similar to those seen in patients with vestibular disease, and findings from this study may shed light on the otolithic basis for these conditions.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    Information Pending

    Earth Applications

    Information Pending

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    Information Pending

    Operational Protocols

    Information Pending

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Related Web Sites
  • The information on this page is provided courtesy of the ESA Erasmus Experiment Archive.
  • Universiteit Antwerpen
  • Columbus Mission - European Experiment Programme

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    Publications

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    Ground Based Results Publications

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    ISS Patent Publications

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    Related Publications

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    Images

    imageFinal check before centrifugation of the cosmonaut Youri Malenchenko seated on the VVIS in Star City (GCTC - Moskow).


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    Information provided by the investigation team to the ISS Program Scientist's Office.
    If updates are needed to the summary please contact JSC-ISS-Program-Science-Group. For other general questions regarding space station research and technology, please feel free to call our help line at 281-244-6187 or e-mail at JSC-ISS-Payloads-Helpline.
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