This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.Background: NASA scientists are working to find ways to keep astronauts healthier and safer when they spend a long time in space. Head down bed rest is a good way to mimic a person traveling in space without gravity. Head-down bed rest helps researchers study people on earth in a way that causes some of the changes the body goes through while traveling in space without gravity. NASA has developed a long term plan for using bed rest studies to help find ways to prevent some of these changes. This investigation, referred to as Campaign 5, is the next part of that long term plan. In this study scientists will test the use of a mildly vibrating platform to preserve bone quality, muscle strength, and balance during head down bed rest. Scientists refer to this vibration as 'Low Magnitude Mechanical Stimuli' or LMMS. Hypothesis: Ten minutes per day of LMMS will stop the changes to bone, muscle, and balance that are caused by bed rest.
Specific Aims and Procedures (summary): In order to learn as much as possible during the study, the scientists will measure changes in bone, muscle, heart, circulation, and nervous system, as well as nutrition and immune status. They will use tests that they have developed over many years for evaluating astronauts, and some specialized tests to see if LMMS helps stop these changes. Experimental Design (summary): During the study subjects will live at the special research unit at the hospital in Galveston for 115 to 119 days. They will stay in bed with their head tilted downward for 90 of those days. Along with bed rest, they will have mental and physical testing to measure changes in their body and mind before, during and after bed rest. Every day during the bed rest part of this study subjects will undergo a ten minute vibration procedure. While they are lying in bed the subjects will be held in place with their feet against a mildly vibrating plate by springs attached to a vest that the subject will wear. Significance (summary): Scientists hope to get information that will help keep astronauts healthy on future space flights.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 465 publications
