Neuroscience JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Coherence between Brain Cortical Function and Neurocognitive Performance during Changed Gravity Conditions

Name: Coherence between Brain Cortical Function and Neurocognitive Performance during Changed Gravity Conditions
Uploaded: 2026-07-09
Duration: 12 min 29 s
Description: Previous studies of cognitive, mental and/or motor processes during short-, medium- and long-term weightlessness have only been descriptive in nature, and ...

DOI: 10.3791/2670-v

What you'll learn

✓ Understand EEG and NIRS protocols for measuring brain activity during altered gravity
✓ Learn feasibility assessment methods for space-based neurocognitive experiments
✓ Interpret hemodynamic and electrophysiological changes under hypergravity and microgravity

Protocol

Biopharma Insights The effect of weightlessness and hypergravity on both hemodynamic and electrophysiological processes in the brain is going to be followed during parabolic flight by EEG and NIRS techniques. A feasibility study of a more complex experiment, which is planned to carry out during medium- and long-term space flight.

Difficulty

advanced

Total time

~4–6 hours per parabolic flight campaign (including pre-flight prep, in-flight measurements, and post-flight assessment)

Steps

Prepare participant and equipment on ground

Conduct baseline measurements and calibrate EEG/NIRS instrumentation before flight. Brief participant on protocol and safety procedures.

▶ 02:47

Configure monitoring systems aboard aircraft

Set up EEG electrodes, NIRS optodes, and data acquisition systems in the parabolic flight environment. Verify signal quality and participant comfort.

▶ 05:29

Record brain activity during parabolic maneuvers

Collect simultaneous EEG and NIRS data during hypergravity and microgravity phases of parabolic flight while participant performs neurocognitive tasks.

▶ 07:08

Conduct post-flight measurements and recovery

Perform immediate post-flight baseline assessment to document recovery of brain activity and cognitive function after gravity transitions.

▶ 09:24

Analyze cortical activity changes across gravity conditions

Process and compare EEG/NIRS signals to identify significant differences in brain hemodynamics and electrophysiology between hypergravity, microgravity, and baseline states.

▶ 09:51

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