Comprehensive assessment of physiological responses in women during the ESA dry immersion VIVALDI microgravity simulation.

Astronauts in microgravity experience multi-system deconditioning, impacting their inflight efficiency and inducing dysfunctions upon return to Earth gravity. To fill the sex gap of knowledge in the health impact of spaceflights, we simulate microgravity with a 5-day dry immersion in 18 healthy women (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05043974). Here we show that dry immersion rapidly induces a sedentarily-like metabolism shift mimicking the beginning of a metabolic syndrome with a drop in glucose tolerance, an increase in the atherogenic index of plasma, and an impaired lipid profile. Bone remodeling markers suggest a decreased bone formation coupled with an increased bone resorption. Fluid shifts and muscular unloading participate to a marked cardiovascular and sensorimotor deconditioning with decreased orthostatic tolerance, aerobic capacity, and postural balance. Collected datasets provide a comprehensive multi-systemic assessment of dry immersion effects in women and pave the way for future sex-based evaluations of countermeasures.

Accelerated Cognitive Decline Associated With Hearing Loss and Bilateral Vestibulopathy: Insights From a Prospective Cross-Sectional Study Using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status Adjusted for the Hearing Impaired in the DFNA9 Population.

BACKGROUND: DeaFNess Autosomal dominant 9 (DFNA9) is a hereditary disorder known to affect both hearing and vestibular function in its carriers. Its phenotype is characterized by progressive sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and vestibular dysfunction evolving towards bilateral vestibulopathy (BV) by the 3rd to 5th life decade. Recent studies have identified the impact of hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction on cognitive functioning. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to investigate how the cognitive functioning of carriers of the p.Pro51Ser variant in the COCH gene is affected by the disease and compare these results with a matched healthy control group. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-six carriers of the pathogenic p.Pro51Ser variant in the COCH gene were included in this study, of which 38 met the Bárány Society criteria and were thus diagnosed with BV. All subjects were between the age of 22 and 72 years old. Each control was individually matched based on age, gender, and education level. A cognitive, vestibular, and hearing assessment was performed in all subjects. All participants completed the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, adjusted for the Hearing Impaired (RBANS-H), a cognitive test battery that includes subtests probing Immediate and Delayed Memory, Visuospatial/Constructional, Language, and Attention. RESULTS: Overall, the DFNA9 patients demonstrated significantly lower scores on the Immediate Memory subscale and lower Total Scale scores than their healthy matched controls. The total sample was divided into two groups: age <55 years old and age ≥55 years old. The DFNA9 group aged ≥55 years old obtained significantly lower scores on the Attention subscale and lower Total Scale scores than their matched controls. Cognition of DFNA9 patients aged <55 years old no longer differed significantly from their matched controls. CONCLUSION: This cross-sectional study found that DFNA9 patients demonstrated cognitive deficits in comparison with their healthy matched controls. The DFNA9 group aged ≥ 55 years old obtained significantly lower scores on the Total Scale and Attention subscale. This finding; however, was not observed for the age group younger than 55 years old. Further research is needed on the individual trajectory of SNHL and vestibular function, and how hearing rehabilitation affects cognitive functioning.

Mal de debarquement syndrome: a systematic review.

Mal de debarquement (MdD) is a subjective perception of self-motion after exposure to passive motion, in most cases sea travel, hence the name. Mal de debarquement occurs quite frequently in otherwise healthy individuals for a short period of time (several hours). However, in some people symptoms remain for a longer period of time or even persist and this is then called mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS). The underlying pathogenesis is poorly understood and therefore, treatment options are limited. In general, limited studies have focused on the topic, but the past few years more and more interest has been attributed to MdDS and its facets, which is reflected by an increasing number of papers. Till date, some interesting reviews on the topic have been published, but a systematic review of the literature is lacking and could help to address the shortcomings and flaws of the current literature. We here present a systematic review of MdD(S) based on a systematic search of medical databases employing predefined criteria, using the terms "mal de debarquement" and "sea legs". Based on this, we suggest a list of criteria that could aid healthcare professionals in the diagnosis of MdDS. Further research needs to address the blank gaps by addressing how prevalent MdD(S) really is, by digging deeper into the underlying pathophysiology and setting up prospective, randomized placebo-controlled studies to evaluate the effectiveness of possible treatment strategies.