--- title: "Alarming Research: Zero Gravity Makes Astronauts’ Brains Age Faster" description: "A new study found that spaceflight was associated with changes in the brain's white matter, causing it to age faster. But consequences are still unknown." date: "2019-02-01" modified: "2019-02-01" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/zero-gravity-astronauts-brains-age-faster" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "astronaut" - "brain" - "iss" - "Spaceflight" --- # Alarming Research: Zero Gravity Makes Astronauts’ Brains Age Faster ![A new study found that spaceflight was associated with changes in the brain's white matter, causing it to age faster. But consequences are still unknown.]() *\Image: NASA\* ## Space Danger Plenty of studies have examined health risks associated with space travel: [elevated risks of cancer](), [nasty radiation](), and [loss of bone density](). To make things worse, travelling through space at zero gravity for prolonged periods might damage astronauts' brains: [a new study]() in the journal *JAMA Neurology* found that spaceflight was associated with changes in white matter — nerve fiber tissues of the brain responsible for learning and other important functions. ## White Matter Changes The researchers examined MRI scans of 15 astronauts who had spent up to 200 days at the International Space Station, before and after the missions. We [already knew]() that in zero gravity, the water surrounding the brain redistributes, causing the brain to shift upwards within the skull. But as the new research found, this phenomenon seems to cause white matter to age faster. "White matter changes were of a greater magnitude than those typically seen during the same period with healthy aging," reads the paper. Even more worrisome: the effect becomes more pronounced the longer you spend in space. "\[The changes\] were greater with longer spaceflight mission durations, and larger brain changes were correlated with greater balance declines," co-author and professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida Rachel Seidler [told *Popular Science*](). ## Early Conclusions But it's not all bad. The effect was significantly reduced in astronauts who had been in space before, suggesting the body can adapt to microgravity. Still, it's a serious enough issue that it warrants further research. After all, the longest consecutive spaceflight was a mere 342 days — just under a year. That means Seidler and her team still have the bulk of the work ahead of them. "The consequences of these brain changes are unknown at this point," said Seidler. **READ MORE:** [Space changes your brain in bigger ways than we thought]() \[*Popular Science*\] ***More on astronaut health: [New Research: Space Travel Hurts Cells That Fight Cancer]()*** ## 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]()