| REVIEW ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2019 | Volume
: 67
| Issue : 8 | Page : 214--218 |
Space motion sickness: A common neurovestibular dysfunction in microgravity
Thais Russomano1, Michele da Rosa2, Marlise A dos Santos3
1 Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College; InnovaSpace, 20-22 Wenlock Rd, Hoxton, London, United Kingdom
2 Cardiovascular Centre, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal; InnovaSpace, 20-22 Wenlock Rd, Hoxton, London, United Kingdom
3 InnovaSpace, 20-22 Wenlock Rd, Hoxton, London, United Kingdom
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Thais Russomano
Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, Shepherd's House, Guy's Campus King's College, London SE1 1UL
United Kingdom
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.259127
This article presents a review of the current findings related to neurovestibular physiology, aetiology, and proposed theories on space motion sickness (SMS) during acute and sustained exposure to microgravity. The review discusses the available treatment options including medication and nonpharmacological countermeasure methods that help to prevent the development of SMS in weightlessness. Ground-based simulations using virtual reality, flight simulations, and Barany's chairs can be applied to study SMS and demonstrate its signs and symptoms to space crew members. Space motion sickness has been observed in approximately 70% of astronauts within the first 72 h in microgravity, having in general an instantaneous onset of signs and symptoms. Stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, pallor, cold sweating, salivation, tachypnoea, belching, fatigue, drowsiness, and stress hormone release have been documented. This can have detrimental effects on the well-being of astronauts in the initial phase of a space mission. Mental and physical performance may be affected, jeopardizing operational procedures and mission safety.
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