Review of Human Cognitive Performance in Spaceflight

[摘要] Human space exploration is inherently hazardous, particularly for lon g duration (LD) missions (22 days or longer). Maintenance of cognitive functioning is essential, but flight environments pose numerous pote ntial risks to the brain and cognitive performance (eg, radiation, to xins, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, hypercarbia, fluid shifts, h ormone imbalances, and injury). There have been persistent anecdotalreports of cognitive deficits during missions, but an up?-to-date rev iew of the evidence for such changes has remained unavailable. Method s: We identified and reviewed English language publications found viaelectronic searches in PubMed, PsycInfo, Inspec, the NASA TechnicalReport Server, and the Defense Technical Information Center, plus rec ursive searches of publication bibliographies. Search terms includedthe word cognition, cognitive, or performance along with spaceflight,flight, mission, or closely related terms. Results: Inter?-study variability precluded meta?-analysis. Some 32 published studies involvingcognitive assessment during spaceflight were identified, involving atotal of 110 participants (mean: 3.4 participants per study). The lo ngest?-duration study spanned 438 days, with six additional studies i nvolving flight durations of 90 days, and 11 more studies involved fl ight durations exceeding 21 days. The available evidence failed to st rongly support or refute the existence of cognitive deficits in LD sp aceflight, in part due to inadequate power or control conditions. Evi dence of increased variability in cognitive performance during spacef light, both within and between individuals, was common. Discussion: T hese results represent a negative finding based on small numbers of s ubjects for any given cognitive function. The increased variability within and (particularly) between individuals highlights the potentialdanger of generalizing from case studies. A mismatch therefore remain s between anecdotal reports describing generalized cognitive slowing,attention and memory problems during missions and the experimental e vidence supporting such deficits. Since a major justification for man ned spaceflight rests with the cognitive flexibility of humans, addit ional studies and further analysis of existing operational data appea rs warranted.

[发布日期] 2012-01-01

[学科分类] 心理学（综合）