When the first four civilians travel to the International Space Station April 8 they will be working with a team of 麻豆原创 doctors to study how space travel affects the human body, particularly the eyes and brain.
Three faculty physicians at 麻豆原创 Health, the College of Medicine鈥檚 clinical practice, are collaborating with Axiom Space and two Israeli medical centers 鈥� Sheba Medical Center and Rabin Medical Center 鈥� to conduct clinical studies aboard Axiom’s private flight that will take four passengers to the International Space Station via the SpaceX Crew Dragon. The flight is scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center and should return 10-14 days later. The space explorers received pre-flight testing at 麻豆原创 Health facilities and will be back for post-flight testing.
The eye study will include the use of high-definition technology unlike any used before to examine the participants鈥� eye structure. The brain study is the first of its kind in space. These studies represent 麻豆原创鈥檚 first human subject space studies.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a historic moment for space exploration with civilians going to the ISS and for 麻豆原创,鈥� says Deborah German, vice president for health affairs and founding dean of the College of Medicine. 鈥淭hese two studies are just the beginning. We have several more to come. It鈥檚 not just about exploring. What we find will contribute to keeping space explorers safe and finding new treatments here at home.鈥�
It’s All About the Eyes
The first study, a collaboration between Gal Antman, ophthalmologist from Rabin Medical Center in Israel and 麻豆原创 Health ophthalmologist Mehul Patel, will examine how the microgravity environment of space affects the structure and function of the eye in a condition called 鈥渟paceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome鈥� or SANS that typically occurs in astronauts. The most commonly reported symptom of SANS experienced by astronauts is decreased near vision.
鈥淚n a microgravity setting, one of the theories is that there is fluid buildup and congestion inside of the orbit, which is the bony space in which our eyeballs rest,鈥� Patel says. 鈥淎nd so, if there is a buildup of fluid even in short duration flights, that exerts pressure on the eyeball which changes how blood enters the eye and leaves the eye and the actual shape of the eye.鈥�
The study includes a range of pre-and post-flight eye exams using a noninvasive approach called optical coherence tomography angiography with the comprehensive imaging device called the Spectralis HRA+OCT2 on loan to 麻豆原创 from Heidelberg Engineering in Germany. This is the first space eye study that will benefit from this kind of detailed imaging.
鈥淎ll prior studies have used MRIs and other ways to image the back of the eye with photos,鈥� Patel says. 鈥淏ut this newer OCTA technology can be compared to a 4K or 8K TV and those high definition cameras that are allowing you to see greater depth and clarity. So, we can now do something similar in the back of the eye, to really look at detail and definition of blood flow and vascular changes in the back of the eye.鈥�
The Brain and Alzheimer鈥檚
The second study is a collaboration between Professor Yael Mardor and physicians Itzik Cooper and Harel Baris from the Sheba Medical Center, Israel and 麻豆原创 physicians Joyce Paulson and Ali Rizvi. The study will examine how space travel affects the structure of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The barrier is a semipermeable coating around the brain that acts as a filter to prevent harmful toxins or pathogens carried in our blood from getting into the brain.
While the barrier has a protective function, it can also filter out or restrict beneficial substances like therapeutic drugs. Researchers are hoping the barrier can be altered through microgravity to allow better absorption of medications that treat neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer鈥檚.
The civilian astronauts will undergo pre- and post-flight evaluations (including MRIs) to see if there are changes in the BBB.
鈥淚f there are any changes,鈥� Rizvi says, 鈥渢he end goal is to see whether the blood-brain barrier can be temporarily altered by exposing patients to microgravity – either in space or simulated on Earth 鈥� to facilitate the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’s.鈥�
This is the first blood-brain barrier study to be conducted on human subjects during space travel at the cellular level.
鈥溌槎乖� is grateful for this opportunity to collaborate on this project to help enhance the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases,鈥� Paulson says. 鈥淩ight now, there are limitations in terms of what we can do to help these patients. Neurodegenerative diseases are not only difficult to treat, but they are also very progressive and impacts not only the patients but their caregivers as well, so studies like these are very important.鈥�
The researchers see these studies as an important step in providing new treatments on earth.
鈥淭he innovative breakthrough in this study lies not only in the specific research questions and methods but in the creativity of referring to the physiological impacts of exposure to microgravity as holding a therapeutic potential- which holds a promise for harnessing space endeavors to other medical applications and healthcare innovation,鈥� says Baris, director of the ARC Space Lab at Sheba Medical Center. 鈥淲e are confident that the collaborations on these studies will pave the way for further shared efforts – and enable our clinicians to provide better healthcare, for all human, either in space or on Earth.
Sheba Medical Center is the largest hospital system in Israel and Newsweek has ranked it in the top 10 internationally.
Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe has completed all pre-flight testing and will return for post-flight testing at 麻豆原创 Health鈥檚 Medical City location and 麻豆原创 Lake Nona Hospital, the medical school鈥檚 partnership hospital with HCA Healthcare.
鈥淚 am excited to be able to participate in these research studies and contribute to medical knowledge for future generations,鈥� Stibbe said as he began testing at 麻豆原创 days before being quarantined before the flight.
The 麻豆原创-affiliated studies are just two in of many experiments being conducted during the mission.
The 麻豆原创 College of Medicine鈥檚 Department of Clinical Trials, under the direction of Amoy Fraser, is leading the trials. Fraser says more space flights studies are under negotiation.
鈥淭he medical school鈥檚 research expertise 鈥� and its Medical City location , close to an international airport and the space center 鈥� make us an optimal partner for medical space research,鈥� Fraser says.
