Daily artificial gravity partially mitigates vestibular processing changes associated with head-down tilt bedrest

Microgravity alters vestibular signaling and reduces body loading, driving sensory reweighting. This study examined the efficacy of 30 min of daily artificial gravity (AG) to counteract brain and behavioral changes from 60 days of head-down tilt bedrest (HDT). Two AG groups (continuous and intermittent AG delivery) and a control HDT group were compared using fMRI during vestibular stimulation. The AG group showed no changes in cerebellar activation during vestibular stimulation, unlike the control group. Better post-HDT balance correlated with less change in left vestibular cortex activation in the AG group. Whole brain analyses revealed increased pre- to during-HDT activation in controls in the precentral and inferior frontal gyri, while the AG group maintained pre-HDT levels. These results suggest AG may mitigate vestibular processing changes, leading to better balance.

G. D. Tays, K. E. Hupfeld, H. R. McGregor, N. E. Beltran, Y. E. De Dios, E. Mulder, J. J. Bloomberg, A. P. Mulavara, S. J. Wood, R. D. Seidler