title: Long-term exposure to microgravity impairs vestibulo-cardiovascular reflex.
abstract: The vestibular system is known to have an important role in controlling blood pressure upon posture transition (vestibulo-cardiovascular reflex, VCR). However, under a different gravitational environment, the sensitivity of the vestibular system may be altered. Thus, the VCR may become less sensitive after spaceflight because of orthostatic intolerance potentially induced by long-term exposure to microgravity. To test this hypothesis in humans, we investigated the ability of the VCR to maintain blood pressure upon head-up tilt before and after a 4-6 months stay on the International Space Station. To detect the functional state of the VCR, galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) was applied. As GVS transiently interrupts the vestibular-mediated pressor response, impaired VCR is detected when the head-up tilt-induced blood pressure response does not depend on GVS. During the first 20 s of head-up tilt, a transient blood pressure increase (11.9 ± 1.6 mmHg) was observed at pre-spaceflight but not at 1-4 days after return from spaceflight. The magnitude of VCR recovered to the pre-spaceflight levels within 2 months after return. These results indicate that long-term exposure to microgravity induces VCR impairment, which may be involved in a mechanism of spaceflight-induced orthostatic intolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan.
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotechnology, Gifu University of Medical Science, Gifu 501-3892, Japan.
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018480:Astronauts; D017704:Baroreflex; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D016683:Supine Position; D013997:Time Factors; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology*; D014893:Weightlessness