AUTHOR=Faerman Afik , Clark Jonathan B. , Sutton Jeffrey P. 

TITLE=Neuropsychological considerations for long-duration deep spaceflight

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2023.1146096

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2023.1146096

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=The deep-space environment introduces multiple and simultaneous risks for the functioning and health of the central nervous system (CNS), which may impair astronauts’ performance and well-being. As future deep-space missions to Mars, moons, or asteroids will inevitably exceed current low-Earth orbit stay durations and are estimated to require up to 3 years, we review recent evidence with contemporary and historic spaceflight case studies addressing implications for long-duration missions. To highlight the need for specific further investigations, we provide neuropsychological considerations integrating cognitive and motor functions, neuroimaging, neurological biomarkers, behavior changes, and mood and affect to construct a multifactorial profile to explain performance variability, subjective experience, and potential risks. We discuss the importance of adopting a neuropsychological approach to spaceflight missions (i.e., “space neuropsychology”) in future research and draw specific recommendations for future research.