CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 658Spaceflight effects on biologyCardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic DisordersSpace Exploration and Technology

From space to Earth: Advances in human physiology from 20 years of bed rest studies (1986–2006)

Pavy-Le Traon, A., Heer, M., Narici, M. V., Rittweger, J., Vernikos, J.·2007·European Journal of Applied Physiology
DOI 10.1007/s00421-007-0474-z
Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Bed rest studies of the past 20 years are reviewed. Head-down bed rest (HDBR) has proved its usefulness as a reliable simulation model for the most physiological effects of spaceflight. As well as continuing to search for better understanding of the physiological changes induced, these studies focused mostly on identifying effective countermeasures with encouraging but limited success. HDBR is characterised by immobilization, inactivity, confinement and elimination of Gz gravitational stimuli, such as posture change and direction, which affect body sensors and responses. These induce upward fluid shift, unloading the body's upright weight, absence of work against gravity, reduced energy requirements and reduction in overall sensory stimulation. The upward fluid shift by acting on central volume receptors induces a 10-15% reduction in plasma volume which leads to a now well-documented set of cardiovascular changes including changes in cardiac performance and baroreflex sensitivity that are identical to those in space. Calcium excretion is increased from the beginning of bed rest leading to a sustained negative calcium balance. Calcium absorption is reduced. Body weight, muscle mass, muscle strength is reduced, as is the resistance of muscle to insulin. Bone density, stiffness of bones of the lower limbs and spinal cord and bone architecture are altered. Circadian rhythms may shift and are dampened. Ways to improve the process of evaluating countermeasures--exercise (aerobic, resistive, vibration), nutritional and pharmacological--are proposed. Artificial gravity requires systematic evaluation. This review points to clinical applications of BR research revealing the crucial role of gravity to health.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1007/s00421-007-0474-z

Cites

486 of 486 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Bed rest and microgravity in non-pregnant individuals cause a series of side-effects across every system, including fatigue, headache, mood changes, lower back pain, cardiac atrophy, muscle atrophy, joint contracture, thromboembolic disease, glucose intolerance, and increased blood cholesterol and triglycerides.

    “have extensively described a series of side-effects for every system, which included fatigue, headache, mood changes, lower back pain, tenseness, difficulty concentrating, back muscle soreness, dry skin, cardiac atrophy, augmented heart rate, blood coagulation, heartburn and reflux, constipation, diminished lung compliance, decreased cardiac output and stroke volume, muscle atrophy, joint contract”

    From Activity Restriction and Hospitalization in Pregnancy: Can Bed-Rest Exercise Prevent Deconditioning? A Narrative Review (2023) · cites this paper as [18]

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Pavy-Le Traon, A., Heer, M., Narici, M. V., Rittweger, J., & Vernikos, J.
Affiliations
  • Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR) (DE)
  • Manchester Metropolitan University (GB)
ORCID
Venue
European Journal of Applied Physiology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2007-07-28
Volume
101
Issue
2
Pages
143-194
ISSN
  • 0020-9376 (ISSN-L)
  • 1439-6319
  • 1439-6327
DOI
10.1007/s00421-007-0474-z
OpenAlex
W1978795695
Cited by
658
References
486
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 55 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 46 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 19
FWCI
2.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • European Journal of Applied Physiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • e-space (Manchester Metropolitan University) (submittedVersion)
  • Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Spaceflight effects on biology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic Disorders
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Space Exploration and Technology
Keywords
head-down bed rest, simulated microgravity, spaceflight countermeasures, fluid shifts, plasma volume, baroreflex sensitivity, cardiac function, calcium balance, muscle atrophy, bone loss, circadian rhythm, exercise countermeasures, vibration training, artificial gravity
MeSH terms
Bed Rest, Calcium, Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena, Circadian Rhythm, Humans, Physiological Phenomena, Fluid Shifts, Space Simulation

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review