Cited by 24Spaceflight effects on biologyHeart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlCardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic Disorders

Cardiovascular autonomic adaptation in lunar and martian gravity during parabolic flight

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Widjaja, Devy, Vandeput, Steven, Van Huffel, Sabine, Aubert, André E.·2015·European Journal of Applied Physiology

Abstract

Purpose Weightlessness has a well-known effect on the autonomic control of the cardiovascular system. With future missions to Mars in mind, it is important to know what the effect of partial gravity is on the human body. We aim to study the autonomic response of the cardiovascular system to partial gravity levels, as present on the Moon and on Mars, during parabolic flight.Methods ECG and blood pressure were continuously recorded during parabolic flight. A temporal analysis of blood pressure and heart rate to changing gravity was conducted to study the dynamic response. In addition, cardiovascular autonomic control was quantified by means of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) variability measures.Results Zero and lunar gravity presented a biphasic cardiovascular response, while a triphasic response was noted during martian gravity. Heart rate and blood pressure are positively correlated with gravity, while the general variability of HR and BP, as well as vagal indices showed negative correlations with increasing gravity. However, the increase in vagal modulation during weightlessness is not in proportion when compared to the increase during partial gravity.Conclusions Correlations were found between the gravity level and modulations in the autonomic nervous system during parabolic flight. Nevertheless, with future Mars missions in mind, more studies are needed to use these findings to develop appropriate countermeasures.

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  • Widjaja et al. (2015) presented extremely large effects for diastolic and systolic blood pressure values measured during a Lunar and Martian gravity parabolic flight.

    “Widjaja et al. (2015) presented extremely large effects for diastolic and systolic blood pressure values measured during a Lunar and Martian gravity parabolic flight.”

    From Human Biomechanical and Cardiopulmonary Responses to Partial Gravity – A Systematic Review (2017) · cites this paper as Widjaja et al. (2015)

    Results §4.2 reports that mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure were strongly reduced during lunar and martian gravity in parabolic flight. The paper does not report effect sizes or classify the effects as “extremely large,” so that characterization is not established by the source. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Compared to microgravity, the physiological consequences of immediate and chronic partial gravity exposure are understudied.

    “Consequently, compared to the bulk of literature and knowledge generated on the physiological effects of μg, the consequences of immediate and chronic partial gravity exposure (μg < partial gravity <1 g) as present on the Moon (0.16 g) or Mars (0.38 g), are somewhat understudied (Horneck et al., 2003; Goswami et al., 2012; Widjaja et al., 2015).”

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Beckers F, Seps B, Ramaekers D, Verheyden B, Aubert AE (2003) Parasympathetic heart rate modulation during autonomic cardiovascular regulation. J Appl Physiol (1985) 89(3):1039-1045
  2. Widjaja D, Vandeput S, Van Huffel S, Aubert AE (2013) Gravity effects on heart rate variability during partial g- parabolic flights. In: Proc. of the 19th IAA Humans in Space Symposium

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Authors
Widjaja, D., Vandeput, S., Van Huffel, S., & Aubert, A. E.
Affiliations
iMinds (BE)
Corresponding author
Widjaja, Devy
Venue
European Journal of Applied Physiology
Published
2015-02-10
Volume
115
Issue
6
Pages
1205-1218
ISSN
  • 0020-9376 (ISSN-L)
  • 1439-6319
  • 1439-6327
OpenAlex
W2102009012
Cited by
24
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
FWCI
0.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • European Journal of Applied Physiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Lirias (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
European Space Agency
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Spaceflight effects on biology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic Disorders
Keywords
cardiac autonomic function, reduced gravity, lunar gravity, Martian gravity, microgravity, parabolic flight, heart rate variability, blood pressure variability, vagal modulation, Mars missions, countermeasures
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Physiological, Adult, Autonomic Nervous System, Blood Pressure, Cardiovascular System, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Weightlessness

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