--- title: "Something Is Malfunctioning With Astronauts’ Brains" description: "Scientists studied the cognitive behavior of astronauts who have spent six months on board the ISS and made some fascinating discoveries." date: "2024-11-23" modified: "2024-11-23" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/astronauts-brains-cognitive-slowdown" categories: - "Brain" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "astronaut health" - "cognitive ability" - "cognitive behavior" - "international space station" - "NASA" --- # Something Is Malfunctioning With Astronauts’ Brains ![Scientists studied the cognitive behavior of astronauts who have spent six months on board the ISS and made some fascinating discoveries.]() *\Image: NASA / Futurism\* Scientists studied the cognitive behavior of astronauts who have spent six months on board the International Space Station — and [made some fascinating yet ominous discoveries](). As outlined in a [paper]() published in the journal *Frontiers*, the team led by NASA's Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory researcher Sheena Dev found that the astronauts' cognitive performance wasn't noticeably impaired after they returned to Earth. However, a series of tests revealed that their cognitive abilities slowed down while in space, "suggesting that processing speed, visual working memory, sustained attention, and risk-taking propensity may be the cognitive domains most susceptible to change in Low Earth Orbit for high-performing, professional astronauts," the researchers wrote. Nonetheless, the results are at least somewhat reassuring: whatever punishment the human brain takes in space, it doesn't appear to be permanent. "We show that there is no evidence of any significant cognitive impairment or neurodegenerative decline in astronauts spending six months on the ISS," said Dev in a [statement](). "Living and working in space was not associated with widespread cognitive impairment that would be suggestive of significant brain damage." A total of 25 professional astronauts underwent a series of tests — designed to study cognitive speed and accuracy — before, during, and after their six-month stays on board the space station. The researchers found that their speed, working memory, and attention were slower than on Earth — albeit ultimately just as accurate. "Slowed performance on attention, for example, was only observed early during the mission while slowed performance on processing speed did not return to baseline levels until after the mission ended and crew were back on Earth," Dev noted in her statement. The team also didn't rule out the effects of stress, which can lead to a similar temporary slowing in cognitive abilities back on Earth. "Other domains, such as memory, are less vulnerable to stressors," Dev noted. "For example, if you happen to have a really busy day but couldn’t get much sleep the night before, you might feel like it’s hard to pay attention or that you need more time to complete tasks." In short, "the most vulnerable domains while astronauts are aboard the ISS are the same as those that are more susceptible to stressors on Earth," the scientist added. More research still needs to be done to figure out why exactly these changes take place, which add to other health concerns for astronauts ranging from [loss of bone density]() to [muscle atrophy]() to [deteriorating vision](). While Dev's team found no evidence of lasting cognitive impairment after six months in space, future missions into deep space that could take far longer may change that situation — particularly considering other spaceflight hazards such as much greater exposure to space radiation, or prolonged isolation and confinement. **More on astronauts' health:** *[Elon Musk Makes Embarrassingly Stupid Claim: If Trump Loses, Humanity Will Never Make It to Mars]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()