cosmic radiation damaged brain mouse and their cognitive abilities, which could have similar effects on astronaut to undertake a long-duration mission to Mars , according to research published in the journal Advances Sciences.
The team University of California, led by Charles Limoli, underwent mouse to radiation very high energy and later studied the behavior of these and structural changes in their brains .
The study is part of a program NASA to investigate the kinds of problems they may face those traveling to space , including those produced by the r Cosmic adiación on a possible mission to Mars that could be launched from 2030.
Researchers They irradiated mice in a laboratory NASA with high doses different particles loaded with oxygen or titanium. Those particles are part of the highly energetic cosmic radiation in the universe. Six weeks after subjecting the mouse to the radiation, scientists made them several behavioral tests.
In a first experiment stood at the mouse a cabin with two objects that could examine for five minutes. Then they were pulled out of the cabin, she changed one of the objects and mice could re-examine the new environment for another five minutes
The second experiment was similar. Mice could see four objects in a cabin . After a brief pause she changed place two of the objects and the mouse could re-examine the environment.
The aim of these experiments was to evaluate the ability of animals to differentiate a situation otherwise. In all experiments, the mouse who underwent a radiation underperformed non-irradiated mice in the control group. Irradiated mice were less active and confused faster.
radiation also left traces in the brains of the animals in the study. Mice who worked with researchers were genetically modified and nerve cells had a green fluorescent protein that serves as a marker for scientists to better assess the structure of the brain .
In the irradiated mice, the team found Limoli strong changes in dendrites, whose ramifications were less complex and had fewer dendritic spines. The dendrites are branches in a tree through which the nerve cells are other stimuli. Dendritic spines are projections through which contact with a nerve cell is established.
“There is good news for the astronaut to which it is sent to a mission two or three years to Mars “said Limoli. “The decline in performance, memory deficits, loss of consciousness and concentration during space travel could influence critical activities for the mission,” he warned
Source:. DPA
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