(Press-News.org) As if space travel was not already filled with enough dangers, a new study out today in the journal PLOS ONE shows that cosmic radiation – which would bombard astronauts on deep space missions to places like Mars – could accelerate the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
"Galactic cosmic radiation poses a significant threat to future astronauts," said M. Kerry O'Banion, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy and the senior author of the study. "The possibility that radiation exposure in space may give rise to health problems such as cancer has long been recognized. However, this study shows for the first time that exposure to radiation levels equivalent to a mission to Mars could produce cognitive problems and speed up changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's disease."
While space is full of radiation, the earth's magnetic field generally protects the planet and people in low earth orbit from these particles. However, once astronauts leave orbit, they are exposed to constant shower of various radioactive particles. With appropriate warning, astronauts can be shielded from dangerous radiation associated with solar flares. But there are also other forms of cosmic radiation that, for all intents and purposes, cannot be effectively blocked.
Because this radiation exists in low levels, the longer an astronaut is in deep space, the greater the exposure. This is a concern for NASA as the agency is planning manned missions to a distant asteroid in 2021 and to Mars in 2035. The round trip to the red planet, in particular, could take as long as three years.
For over 25 years, NASA has been funding research to determine the potential health risks of space travel in an effort to both develop countermeasures and determine whether or not the risks warranted sending men and women on extended missions in deep space.
Since that time, several studies have demonstrated the potential cancer, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal impact of galactic cosmic radiation. The study out today for the first time examines the potential impact of space radiation on neurodegeneration, in particular, the biological processes in the brain that contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. O'Banion – whose research focuses on how radiation affects the central nervous system – and his team have been working with NASA for over eight years.
The researchers studied the impact of a particular form of radiation called high-mass, high-charged (HZE) particles. These particles – which are propelled through space at very high speeds by the force of exploding stars – come in many different forms. For this study the researcher chose iron particles. Unlikely hydrogen protons, which are produced by solar flares, the mass of HZE particles like iron, combined with their speed, enable them to penetrate solid objects such as the wall and protective shielding of a spacecraft.
"Because iron particles pack a bigger wallop it is extremely difficult from an engineering perspective to effectively shield against them," said O'Banion. "One would have to essentially wrap a spacecraft in a six-foot block of lead or concrete."
A portion of the research was conducted at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island. NASA located its research operation at Brookhaven to take advantage of the Lab's particle accelerators which – by colliding matter together at very high speeds – can reproduce the radioactive particles found in space.
The researchers specifically wanted to examine whether or not radiation exposure had the potential to accelerate the biological and cognitive indicators of Alzheimer's disease, particularly in individuals who may be predisposed to developing the disease. To accomplish this they chose study the impact on animal models of Alzheimer's disease. These particular models have been extensively studied and scientists understand the precise timeframe in which the disease progresses over time.
At Brookhaven, the animals were exposed to various doses of radiation, including levels comparable to what astronauts would be experience during a mission to Mars. Back in Rochester, a team of researchers – including URMC graduate student Jonathan Cherry, who was first author on the paper – evaluated the cognitive and biological impact of the exposure. The mice underwent a series of experiments during which they had to recall objects or specific locations. The researchers observed that mice exposed to radiation were far more likely to fail these tasks – suggesting neurological impairment – earlier than these symptoms would typically appear.
The brains of the mice also showed signs of vascular alterations and a greater than normal accumulation of beta amyloid, the protein "plaque" that accumulates in the brain and is one of the hallmarks of the disease.
"These findings clearly suggest that exposure to radiation in space has the potential to accelerate the development of Alzheimer's disease," said O'Banion. "This is yet another factor that NASA, which is clearly concerned about the health risks to its astronauts, will need to take into account as it plans future missions."
INFORMATION:
Additional co-authors include Jacqueline Williams, Ph.D. and John Olschowka, Ph.D. with URMC and Bin Liu, Ph.D., Jeffrey Frost, and Cynthia Lemere, Ph.D. with Harvard Medical School. The study was funded by NASA.
END
CHICAGO – Depression in a group of Medicare recipients ages 65 years and older appears to be associated with prevalent mild cognitive impairment and an increased risk of dementia, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Neurology, a JAMA Network publication.
Depressive symptoms occur in 3 percent to 63 percent of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and some studies have shown an increased dementia risk in individuals with a history of depression. The mechanisms behind the association between depression and cognitive decline have not been ...
CHICAGO – The larger economic environment during infancy may be associated with subsequent substance use and delinquent behavior during adolescence, according to a report published Online First by Archives of General Psychiatry, a JAMA Network publication.
The current economic crisis has received much attention from policy makers, although the focus has been on short-term effects, while the long-term influences of such financial crises, especially on young children, have generally not been examined, according to the study background.
Seethalakshmi Ramanathan, M.B.B.S., ...
MADISON – Trees and the insects that eat them wage constant war. Insects burrow and munch; trees deploy lethal and disruptive defenses in the form of chemicals.
But in a warming world, where temperatures and seasonal change are in flux, the tide of battle may be shifting in some insects' favor, according to a new study.
In a report published today (Dec. 31, 2012) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports a rising threat to the whitebark pine forests of the northern Rocky Mountains as ...
Jackson Laboratory researchers led by Associate Professor Zhong-wei Zhang, Ph.D., have provided direct evidence that a specific neurotransmitter receptor is vital to the process of pruning synapses in the brains of newborn mammals.
Faulty pruning at this early developmental stage is implicated in autism-spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. The definitive evidence for N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) in pruning has eluded researchers until now, but in research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Zhang's lab had serendipitous help in ...
Scientists have cast doubt on the widely held perception that there has been a global increase in jellyfish.
Blooms, or proliferations, of jellyfish can show a substantial, visible impact on coastal populations – clogged nets for fishermen, stinging waters for tourists, even choked cooling intake pipes for power plants – and recent media reports have created a perception that the world's oceans are experiencing trending increases in jellyfish. Now, a new multinational collaborative study, involving the University of Southampton, suggests these trends may be overstated, ...
How to decide if bankruptcy is for you
Tough economic times are causing many people to struggle financially. Unforeseen events such as the loss of a job, a major medical issue or the accumulation of credit-card interest and penalties can cause even the hardest working people to rack up thousands of dollars of debt. Even worse, creditor harassment can make life incredibly stressful. These circumstances understandably cause many people to feel like they are drowning in a sea of debt.
Fortunately, many options are available for dealing with debt and creating a path toward ...
New York Homeowner liability: who pays when holiday guests get hurt?
For many people, the approaching winter holiday season includes attending holiday parties and making merriment with friends, coworkers and family. In New York, as well as across the nation, a significant number of these gatherings will likely be held at other people's homes.
However, the holiday season also means that icy sidewalks and other dangerous property conditions are common. Although it is unlikely to be at the forefront of your mind when attending a party at another person's house, you may ...
Child Custody: The Myths and the Facts
With divorce becoming a more common issue, many families in Lancaster County may find themselves in a position where they need to create a child custody plan. There are a lot of misconceptions and myths that are perpetuated concerning the process of child custody. It's important to be able to differentiate between the myths and the facts so that families are as prepared and informed as possible when going forward with divorce and a child custody plan.
The most important thing to remember is that every court, whether in Lancaster ...
Requirements when filing for bankruptcy in California
With the downturn in the economy over the past few years, bankruptcy has become an even more important debt relief tool that can help individuals and businesses restructure and stay afloat. Bankruptcy allows individuals and businesses an opportunity to rebuild their credit and to regain their standing. If you are considering filing for bankruptcy, the following information can serve as a good place to start considering your options.
Pre-bankruptcy counseling
Pre-bankruptcy counseling is a required action that ...
Is a Family Limited Partnership the Right Choice for You?
Do you own a family run business? Do you own and manage rental properties? Do you receive income from sources that require active management such as income from royalties, patents or copyrights? If so, a family limited partnership may be an entity that can provide significant benefits to you and your family. This will be particularly true if Congress is unable to agree upon a tax package as we approach the so-called "fiscal cliff." If the federal estate tax exemption is lowered, and/or tax rates jump ...
