Cited by 188Spaceflight effects on biologyEffects of Radiation ExposureRadiation Therapy and Dosimetry

Biological effects of space radiation and development of effective countermeasures

Open access
Kennedy, Ann R.·2014·Life Sciences in Space Research

Abstract

As part of a program to assess the adverse biological effects expected from astronaut exposure to space radiation, numerous different biological effects relating to astronaut health have been evaluated. There has been major focus recently on the assessment of risks related to exposure to solar particle event (SPE) radiation. The effects related to various types of space radiation exposure that have been evaluated are: gene expression changes (primarily associated with programmed cell death and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling), oxidative stress, gastrointestinal tract bacterial translocation and immune system activation, peripheral hematopoietic cell counts, emesis, blood coagulation, skin, behavior/fatigue (including social exploration, submaximal exercise treadmill and spontaneous locomotor activity), heart functions, alterations in biological endpoints related to astronaut vision problems (lumbar puncture/intracranial pressure, ocular ultrasound and histopathology studies), and survival, as well as long-term effects such as cancer and cataract development. A number of different countermeasures have been identified that can potentially mitigate or prevent the adverse biological effects resulting from exposure to space radiation.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.lssr.2014.02.004

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326 of 326 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Biological countermeasures' mechanisms and effects are not fully understood and their application in space flight is not yet mature.

    “But their mechanisms and effects are not fully understood and their application in space flight is not yet mature.”

    From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Kennedy (2014)

    Section 8 describes the countermeasures as agents that “may lead to risk reductions” in astronauts, supporting a cautious account of their effects rather than established readiness for spaceflight. Section 5.6 investigates a possible antioxidant mechanism, but the paper does not state that biological countermeasures’ mechanisms and effects are generally not fully understood or explicitly assess their maturity for use in spaceflight. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.77)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Candidate antioxidant cocktails have been proposed based on the scientific knowledge of their effects, but their translation to the field, and specifically to astronauts, has not been successful.

    “Even if candidate antioxidant cocktails have been proposed based on the scientific knowledge of their effects, their translation to the field, and specifically to astronauts, has not been successful47,53,54.”

    From Key points for the development of antioxidant cocktails to prevent cellular stress and damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) during manned space missions (2021) · cites this paper as [47]

    Section 5.1 says antioxidants were selected as a combination for further study based on laboratory results. Section 5.4 reports protective effects in irradiated mice and suggests the combination could be useful for astronauts. Neither passage establishes that translation to use by astronauts was unsuccessful. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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4 of the 330 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [301]King G Rabin B Weatherspoon J 5-HT3 receptor antagonists ameliorate emesis in the ferret evoked by neutron or proton radiation Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine 1999 70 485 492 10332945
  2. [306]Harding RK Reynolds DJM Andrews PLR Davis CJ 5-HT3 receptor antagonists and radiation-induced emesis: preclinical data Serotinin and the scientific basis of anti-emetic therapy 1995 Oxford, London Oxford Clinical Communications 127 133
  3. [314]Reitan JB Stavem P Kett K Hoel PS Ricks RC Fry SA The 60Co accident in Norway 1982: A Clinical Reappraisal The Medical Basis for Radiation Accident Preparedness. II Clinical Experience and Follow-up since 1979 1990 New York Elsevier Science Publishing Co. 3 11

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Authors
Kennedy, A. R.
Affiliations
University of Pennsylvania (US)
Corresponding author
Kennedy, Ann R.
Venue
Life Sciences in Space Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-04
Volume
1
Pages
10-43
ISSN
2214-5524 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2119240968
Cited by
188
References
330
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 3
FWCI
7.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Life Sciences in Space Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (T32CA009677)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NCC 9-58, NAG9-1517)
  • National Space Biomedical Research Institute
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Spaceflight effects on biology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Effects of Radiation Exposure
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry
Keywords
space radiation, astronaut health, solar energetic particle events, radiation countermeasures, gene expression, programmed cell death, extracellular matrix remodeling, oxidative stress, bacterial translocation, immune activation, vomiting, coagulation, skin effect, fatigue, cardiac function, visual impairment, cataract, cancer risk, survival

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