ArticleCerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)2023
Changes in working memory brain activity and task-based connectivity after long-duration spaceflight.
Article in Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The human brain in space: a meta-analysis of neuroimaging evidence.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of spaceflight experience on human brain structure, microstructure, and function: systematic review of neuroimaging studies.Brain imaging and behavior · 2024Pooled it
- Neurological complications in microgravity and long duration spaceflight.NPJ microgravity · 2026Review
- Review
- Effects of seasonal factors on brain function: Systematic review and future perspectives.iScience · 2025Article
- Spaceflight and Ground-Based Microgravity Simulation Impact on Cognition and Brain Plasticity.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Brains in space: impact of microgravity and cosmic radiation on the CNS during space exploration.Nature reviews. Neuroscience · 2025Review
- The microgravity environment affects sensorimotor adaptation and its neural correlates.Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) · 2025Article
- Thirty minutes of daily artificial gravity does not mitigate head down tilt induced brain activity changes during cognitive task performance.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
- Long-term effects of simulated microgravity in the central nervous system of rhesus monkeys: a voxel-wise multimodal MRI study.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
- Space Analogs and Behavioral Health Performance Research review and recommendations checklist from ESA Topical Team.NPJ microgravity · 2024Review
- Daily artificial gravity partially mitigates vestibular processing changes associated with head-down tilt bedrest.NPJ microgravity · 2024Article
- Daily artificial gravity is associated with greater neural efficiency during sensorimotor adaptation.Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) · 2023Article
- Review
- Neuropsychological considerations for long-duration deep spaceflight.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Review
- Neuroplasticity in F16 fighter jet pilots.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
We studied the longitudinal effects of approximately 6 months of spaceflight on brain activity and task-based connectivity during a spatial working memory (SWM) task. We further investigated whether any brain changes correlated with changes in SWM performance from pre- to post-flight. Brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging while astronauts (n = 15) performed a SWM task. Data were collected twice pre-flight and 4 times post-flight. No significant effects on SWM performance or brain activity were found due to spaceflight; however, significant pre- to post-flight changes in brain connectivity were evident. Superior occipital gyrus showed pre- to post-flight reductions in task-based connectivity with the rest of the brain. There was also decreased connectivity between the left middle occipital gyrus and the left parahippocampal gyrus, left cerebellum, and left lateral occipital cortex during SWM performance. These results may reflect increased visual network modularity with spaceflight. Further, increased visual and visuomotor connectivity were correlated with improved SWM performance from pre- to post-flight, while decreased visual and visual-frontal cortical connectivity were associated with poorer performance post-flight. These results suggest that while SWM performance remains consistent from pre- to post-flight, underlying changes in connectivity among supporting networks suggest both disruptive and compensatory alterations due to spaceflight.
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