The upside-down brain: How space rewires neural pathways

The upside-down brain: How space rewires neural pathways

Brain's Big Makeover: How Space Changes Your Brain's Wires!

Our brains are super amazing and incredibly flexible. They can change and adapt to new situations, almost like building new roads or re-routing traffic signals. This ability is called "neuroplasticity." When astronauts go to space, their brains experience a completely new world without gravity, and guess what? Their brains actually start to rewire themselves to cope with this "upside-down" environment!

New Rules: Rethinking "Up" and "Down"

On Earth, our brains constantly use gravity as a guide. When we walk, our brain knows which way is down. When we pick something up, our brain knows how much effort to use. But in space, there's no "up" or "down" in the usual sense. Astronauts can float in any direction, and objects don't fall. Their brains quickly learn that the old rules of gravity no longer apply.

Sensory Reweighting: A Brain's Clever Trick

To adapt to this gravity-free world, the brain performs a clever trick called "sensory reweighting." Remember how our brain uses information from eyes, inner ears, and muscles for balance? In space, the brain starts to rely less on the confusing signals from the inner ears (which expect gravity) and more on what the eyes see and what the body feels through touch. It's like turning down the volume on one input and turning up the volume on another. This reweighting means the brain literally starts to change its "neural pathways"—the connections between brain cells—to prioritize new ways of understanding space and movement.

A Flexible Mind: Adapting to Two Worlds

These changes in the brain's wiring allow astronauts to navigate and function effectively in microgravity. They learn to move and orient themselves using visual cues and their body's position. While these adaptations are necessary for living in space, they're also why astronauts might feel wobbly or dizzy when they return to Earth; their brains have to re-rewire themselves to the old rules of gravity! The study of "space brain" and neuroplasticity helps us understand just how incredible and adaptable the human brain truly is, always ready to build new pathways for new challenges.

Key References:

• Roberts, D. R., Albrecht, M. H., Seidler, R. D., De Castro, F., & Mulavara, A. P. (2017). Effects of Spaceflight on Brain Structure and Function: Evidence from the International Space Station. Journal of Neurophysiology, 118(1), 1-13. (Examines structural and functional changes in the brain indicative of neuroplasticity).

• Van Ombergen, A., De Bodt, M., Jeurissen, B., Van der Linden, A., & Wuyts, F. L. (2017). The effect of microgravity on the human brain: An MRI study of spaceflight-induced alterations in white and grey matter structures. Brain Structure and Function, 222(5), 2375-2384. (Explores anatomical changes that support neural rewiring).

• Karmali, F., & M. S. (2018). Sensory and Motor Adaptation to Microgravity. In Human Physiology in Space (pp. 165-188). Springer, New York, NY. (Discusses sensory reweighting as a core mechanism of adaptation).

• NASA Human Research Program: Offers insights into brain and neurological adaptations to spaceflight, often mentioning neuroplasticity.