Space adaptation syndrome is caused by elevated intracranial pressure.
Space adaptation syndrome (SAS) incapacitates about 50% of the astronauts with symptoms of headache, malaise, vomiting, vertigo, etc. A hypothesis that SAS is caused by elevated intracranial pressure secondary to the cephalad fluid shift in zero G is proposed. A mechanism of how the cephalad fluid shift could cause elevated intracranial pressure is discussed. Factors known to alleviate and exacerbate SAS are interpreted in light of the elevated intracranial pressure mechanism.
Jennings
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Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Chicago 60612.
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D013026:Space Flight; D013577:Syndrome; D014893:Weightlessness