October 19, 2016.
According to a study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of California, United States, travel to Mars could affect the human brain.
A rapid and irreversible impact on the brain
Go to Mars! It is the dream of all astronauts. Yet this might never happen. According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, moving away from Earth’s gravity could cause damage to the human brain. According to this work, cosmic rays could indeed have an impact on cognition. A consequence that would be rapid and irreversible.
To achieve these results, the researchers exposed a first group of mice to cosmic radiation for 12 weeks, and a second group for 24 weeks. Results: the episodic memory capacities of the most exposed mice and their spatial recognition has significantly decreased. At the same time, fear and anxiety have increased.
Neurons directly impacted
In addition, the researchers were able to observe changes inside neurons : the greater the exposure to cosmic rays, the more the transmission of nerve impulses from neurotransmitters to memory was damaged. “ The data collected constitutes further proof that distant space travel poses a real and unique threat to the integrity of our neural circuits », Explain the authors of the study.
If this study only involved mice, it highlights a possible danger for astronauts. Previous studies had proven that exposure to cosmic rays could increase the risk of cancer tenfold, we now learn thatit can cause cognitive disorders, damage memory, perception or even mood and can cause anxiety.
Also read: Would you be fit enough to travel to space?
