International Team Of Physician-astronauts Draws Upon First-hand Space Flight Experience In CMAJ Article

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 04 Jun 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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An international team of astronauts, including Canadian Dr. Robert Thirsk who launched into space on May 27, have just published an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) about the complex physiologic changes and psychological effects that occur in space. They draw upon first-hand experience as both physician-astronauts and crew medical officers on space missions and from NASA literature and peer-reviewed medical sources.

Authors include Dr. Robert Thirsk of the Canadian Space Agency; Dr. Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency Astronaut Corps; Dr. Chiaki Mukai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency; and Canadian astronaut Dr. David Williams, Director of the McMaster Centre for Medical Robotics at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.

Microgravity exerts the largest effect on human physiology, affecting all organs, and the acclimation of the cardiovascular system to weightlessness is complex. Many astronauts experience space motion sickness during the first few days, and there is a similar period of re-acclimation to gravity upon return to earth. On longer missions (3-6 months) such as the upcoming one, muscle mass can shrink up to 30% and bone density loss begins immediately. Some astronauts never return to preflight bone density levels.

In-flight and post-mission support is important to help astronauts and their families cope psychologically and to recover from separation, especially after long missions. Fatigue, separation and in-flight work stress can also have effects.

"The new challenge is now-long duration spaceflight," writes Dr. David Williams and his coauthors. "Clinicians are currently refining the delivery of medical care for astronauts who live for longer periods aboard the International Space Station. They also seek to better understand the medical issues that future astronauts will face when we venture back to the moon and eventually on to Mars."

Source
Canadian Medical Association Journal

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