Adaptation of vestibular system to gravitational change: can microgravity be simulated by hypergravity?

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K11916
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 宇宙生命科学
• Research Institution: Gifu University
• Principal Investigator: Morita Hironobu 岐阜大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (80145044)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ABE Chikara 岐阜大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授 (10585235) ; MURATANI Masafumi 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 准教授 (50730199)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 微小重力 / 過重力 / 前庭器官 / 前庭神経核 / 前庭－血圧反射 / エピゲノム解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to examine whether the same plastic alteration of vestibular system occurrs, vestibular-mediated blood pressure control and changes in gene expression in the vestibular neural pathway (vestibular sensory epithelium⇒vestibular nuclei) were examined. Both astronauts who stayed in space for 4 to 6 months and rats kept under 2 g environment for 2 to 4 weeks showed a suppression of vestibular mediated blood pressure regulation and an orthostatic hypotension. Gene expression of vestibular sensory epithelium and vestibular nuclei of mice that stayed in space for 35 days and mice raised for 4 weeks at 2 g were examined. Many changes in gene expression were observed in the sacculus and utricle. These results suggest the possibility of using hypergravity as a substitute for microgravity in the plastic change of the vestibular function.

Free Research Field

生理学，宇宙医学