Year: 2019
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Long-duration spaceflight has been shown to negatively affect the lumbopelvic muscles of crewmembers. Through analysis of computed tomography scans of crewmembers on 4- to 6-month missions equipped with the interim Resistive Exercise Device, the structural deterioration of the psoas, quadratus lumborum, and paraspinal muscles was assessed. Computed tomography scans of 16 crewmembers were collected before and after long-duration spaceflight. The volume and attenuation of lumbar musculature at the L2 vertebral level was measured. Percent changes in the lumbopelvic muscle volume and attenuation (indicative of myosteatosis, or intermuscular fat infiltration) following spaceflight were calculated. Due to historical studies demonstrating only decreases in the muscles assessed, a one-sample t test was performed to determine if these decreases persist in more recent flight conditions. Crewmembers on interim Resistive Exercise Device-equipped missions experienced an average 9.5% decrease in volume and 6.0% decrease in attenuation in the quadratus lumborum muscles, and an average 5.3% decrease in volume and 5.3% decrease in attenuation in the paraspinal muscles. Crewmembers experienced no significant changes in psoas muscle volume or attenuation. No significant changes in intermuscular adipose tissue volume or attenuation were found in any muscles. Long-duration spaceflight was associated with preservation of psoas muscle volume and attenuation, and significant decreases in quadratus lumborum and paraspinal muscle volume and attenuation.
Source: Frontiers in Physiology
Authors: Kyle P. McNamara, Katelyn A. Greene, Austin M. Moore, Leon Lenchik, Ashley A. Weaver
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,950
Awards: REU Site: Imaging and Mechanics-based Projects on Accidental Cases of Trauma (IMPACT), QUANTITATIVE CT AND MRI-BASED MODELING ASSESSMENT OF DYNAMIC VERTEBRAL STRENGTH AND INJURY RISK FOLLOWING LONG-DURATION SPACEFLIGHTPROLONGED PERIODS OF NEAR WEIGHTLESSNESS CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO ASTRONAUTS MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM. THIS DAMAGE CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF SKELETAL TISSUE FAILURE (E.G. FRACTURES TEARS) WHEN EXPERIENCING FORCEFUL DYNAMIC LOADS. FRACTURES OF THE SPINE DURING DYNAMIC CONDITIONS SUCH AS LAUNCH OR LANDING COULD CAUSE A MISSION TO FAIL. THIS STUDY WILL MEASURE THIS DEGRADATION OF ASTRONAUTS VERTEBRAE AND SPINAL MUSCLES DURING MISSIONS ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS). WE WILL THEN DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF VERTEBRAL WEAKENING OF CREWMEMBERS DURING LONG-DURATION MISSIONS.CHANGES IN PRE- AND POST-FLIGHT VERTEBRAL GEOMETRY VOLUME CORTEX THICKNESS AND BONE MINERAL DENSITY WILL BE MEASURED FROM EXISTING LUMBAR QUANTITATIVE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (QCT) SCANS AS WELL AS FROM PLANNED QCT SCANS OF THE CERVICAL THORACIC AND LUMBAR SPINE FROM SIX ISS CREWMEMBERS. LIKEWISE THE PRE- AND POST-FLIGHT SPINAL MUSCLE VOLUMES WILL BE ANALYZED USING BOTH EXISTING MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI) SCANS AND PLANNED MRI SCANS FROM SIX ISS CREWMEMBERS. THE QCT AND MRI SCANS WILL BE ANALYZED TODETERMINE STRUCTURAL AND MATERIAL CHANGES IN THE CERVICAL THORACIC AND LUMBAR VERTEBRAE AND THE SPINAL MUSCLES THAT INDICATE DAMAGE WHICH COULD WEAKEN THESE TISSUES.OUR UNIQUE ENGINEERING APPROACH WILL MEASURE THE LOSS OF VERTEBRAL STRENGTH DURING SPACEFLIGHT CONDITIONS AND PREDICT THE RISK OF FAILURE DURING TRAUMATIC DYNAMIC LOADING CONDITIONS SUCH AS LAUNCH OR LANDING. VERTEBRAL STRENGTH AND RISK FOR VERTEBRAL FRACTURE AND INJURY WILL BE QUANTIFIED IN 900 DYNAMIC SIMULATIONS USING A FULL HUMAN BODY MODEL THAT IS CONSTRUCTED USING STRUCTURAL AND MATERIALDATA GATHERED FROM THE PRE- AND POST-FLIGHT MEDICAL IMAGES FOR EACH ASTRONAUT.THIS STUDY HAS SIGNIFICANCE IN QUANTIFYING AND ADDRESSING RISKS OF LONG-DURATION SPACEFLIGHT INCLUDING VERTEBRAL INJURY FROM DYNAMIC LOADS VERTEBRAL FRACTURE EARLY ONSET VERTEBRAL OSTEOPOROSIS DUE TO SPACEFLIGHT AND IMPAIRED PERFORMANCE DUE TO REDUCED SPINAL MUSCLE MASS STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE.
OpenAlex ID: W2945925732