Astronauts experience significant changes in brain structure after long missions, a new study has found.
The study underscores the need for ample recovery time between flights, researchers said.
Experiencing space flight, particularly in terms of extended missions and shorter recovery periods in between, induces fluid changes in astronauts' brains that may not return to normal before subsequent flights, according to a recent study published in Scientific Reports.
The researchers, led by Prof Rachael Seidler and colleagues, discovered that space travel leads to considerable changes in human brain structure, particularly in the expansion of the ventricles.
These are cavities within the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid, which progressively enlarge with extended space missions lasting up to six months, the study found.
It remains uncertain whether these changes vary with different mission lengths or the number of prior space flights.
In the study, Dr Seidler's team used MRI to scan the brains of 30 astronauts both before and after space flights.
The astronauts had undergone a range of missions, from two-week stays in space (eight astronauts), six-month missions (18 astronauts), to even longer missions (four astronauts).
The researchers found that longer space flight missions resulted in greater ventricular enlargement, which gradually tapered off after six months in space.
“People who spend just a couple of weeks show little to no change in these structures,” Dr Seidler's told The National.
“This is good news for those going on short space junkets. Ventricular volume increases for those that travelled for six months or close to a year.”
If the gap between missions was less than three years, astronauts' ventricles did not increase at all.
The researchers noted that seven astronauts who had a shorter recovery period between missions showed little to no enlargement of the ventricles post-flight compared to preflight.
This led the researchers to propose that a three-year gap between space flights might not be enough recovery time.
“This suggests that the folks who had travelled within the past three years did not have sufficient time for recovery of their ventricles,” Dr Seidler added.
The study sheds light on how prior and current space flight experiences might influence brain changes, an understanding that becomes increasingly vital as space flights become more frequent and prolonged.
The findings could aid in devising better guidelines for future mission planning.
Nevertheless, the authors pointed out that the exact impact of ventricular expansion on space travellers is not currently understood, and more long-term health follow-ups are required.
“This ventricular expansion could (likely) compresses the surrounding brain tissue,” Dr Seidler's told The National.
“Ventricular enlargement can be associated with cognitive decline.”
The research also highlights the concept of “compensatory capacity” of the ventricles and its relation to the recovery time between space flights.
The researchers suggested that a three-year gap might be necessary between missions for recovery.
However, more research is needed, and the potential health and performance effects of these changes have yet to be determined.
As for potential countermeasures or interventions that could mitigate the impact of space flight on the brain, the research mentioned several methods under investigation, such as exercise, nutrition, artificial gravity, and lower body negative pressure.
Nasa is funding several studies to further explore the effects of space flight on the brain and potential mitigation strategies, emphasising the importance of long-term recovery tracking after space missions.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
