PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO POST-FLIGHT CHANGES IN FUNCTIONAL
PERFORMANCE (FUNCTIONAL TASK TEST)
Research Area: Integrated Physiology and Nutrition
Expeditions: 21-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Jacob J. Bloomberg, PhD, Johnson Space Center, Houston,
Texas
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Physiological Factors Contributing to Postflight Changes in Functional Performance
(Functional Task Test) payload tests crew members on an integrated suite of functional and
physiological tests before and after long-duration spaceflight. The study identifies critical
mission tasks that may be impacted, maps physiological changes to alterations in physical
performance, and aids in the design of countermeasures that specifically target the
physiological systems responsible for impaired functional performance.
EARTH BENEFITS
A better understanding of the physiological
factors that influence functional performance
aids in defining more effective rehabilitation
interventions in clinical populations. For
example, in the elderly population, activities of
daily living are often impaired by multiple
physiological causes. The information obtained
from this study helps in the design of clinical
interventions and rehabilitation programs that
can target specific systems responsible for
decline in functional performance.SPACE BENEFITS
Information obtained from this study aids in the design of targeted countermeasures which can
reduce bodily changes that can have a negative impact on wellbeing and function of crew
members in space.
RESULTS
Ongoing data collection continues to improve the statistical power required to map changes in
functional task performance to alterations in physiological systems. The information obtained
from this study will be used to design and implement countermeasures that specifically target
the physiological systems most responsible for the altered functional performance associated
with spaceflight.
JSC2008E156464 – Subject demonstrating the
Rock Translation Test at NASA’s Johnson Space
Center (JSC), Houston, Texas.