Space research

With this project, brain MRI scans are acquired in astronauts from the European Space Agency (ESA) and in cosmonauts from the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos). MRI scans are acquired before, shortly after, and 6-7 months after a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to study immediate and long-term effects of spaceflight on the brain. With each scan, anatomical T1 and T2-weighted images, diffusion MRI, resting-state functional MRI, and task-based functional MRI are acquired. These complementary types of MRI scans allow us to study brain structural and functional changes after a mission to the ISS. The goal is to detect sites of neuroplasticity and to study microgravity-induced fluid shifts. Our team obtained the prestigious NASA ISSRDC award for compelling results in the ISS for this project, putting LEIA at the forefront of neuroscience in space.

Duration: 2014 – present