RT journal article
T1 Neurocognitive assessment in microgravity: review of tools and benefits of increasing their clinical validity for long duration missions
A1 González de la Torre Benítez, Gabriel
A1 González de la Torre Muñoz, Sara
A2 Psicología
AB Introduction: Clinical complications are not expected in current space missions; however, forfuture long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, a new perspective may be needed – a moreclinical approach. Different risks, both environmental, such as radiation, accidents, and biopsychological,including neurological problems, represent potential sources of subsequent neurocognitivedeficits.Aims: This study aims to review research studies published to this date in microgravity conditionsusing existing spaceflight neurocognitive assessment batteries. This study also discusses thedifferent risks of neuropsychological impairment in spaceflight and the potential benefits ofincreasing the clinical validity of these tools with neurological clinical samples on Earth for futurelong-duration missions.Method: A PRISMA guidelines-based review of specialized literature on neurocognitive assessmentbatteries and human spaceflight was performed. Different factors including type of tool or batteryused, sample size, mission duration, etc. were included in this review. After the scrutiny of 192articles, a total of 27 studies were detailed in the review outcome.Results: Results showed that neuropsychological function research target has changed over theyears, with working memory and perception studies being predominant in the 80s and 90s whilereaction time being more frequent in recent research. We also found a lack of language-relatedresearch in microgravity and the predominance of two neurocognitive assessment batteries inmicrogravity research.Conclusions: With this study, we want to emphasize the importance of increasing the clinicalvalidity of neurocognitive or neuropsychological assessment tools to be used in space, especially inlong-duration missions because in this type of mission the risk of suffering a brain injury orneurological condition increases due to multiple factors. Testing these tools with neurologicalclinical samples and using machine learning, predictive systems may help crews in early detectionof potential clinical, neurological, or neurocognitive problems during these long-duration missionsto Mars and beyond.
PB Taylor & Francis
SN 1744-411X
YR 2023
FD 2023
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/35117
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/35117
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 07-nov-2026