Fluid control mechanisms in weightlessness.
Experiments performed on Space Shuttle flights have emphasized study of the earliest effects of the cephalad fluid shift resulting from microgravity. Analysis of one subject's urine collected during flight showed that a sharp increase in antidiuretic hormone occurred within 2 h of launch, followed by an increase in cortisol excretion. Although this subject had symptoms of the space adaptation syndrome (SAS), inflight data from Spacelab missions suggested that these transient changes were not caused by SAS. Unpaired t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests showed that before and after flight, plasma thyroxine and urine osmolality were significantly higher in Shuttle crewmembers who exhibited more severe symptoms of SAS than in asymptomatic crewmembers. Collection of inflight data from more crewmembers should allow distinction between the effects of SAS and effects of weightlessness, and in the future several additional fluid regulation hormones will be measured in samples from crewmembers for a more complete understanding of fluid control during weightlessness.
Leach
C S
CS
Biomedical Laboratories, NASA/Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058.
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000652:urine; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000652:urine; D009041:Motion Sickness / Q000503:physiopathology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D013026:Space Flight; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000652:urine; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance; D014893:Weightlessness
D014667:Vasopressins; D000450:Aldosterone; D013974:Thyroxine; D006854:Hydrocortisone