Motion Perception: Vestibular Adaptation to G-Transitions (MOP)
Research Area: Nervous and Vestibular Systems
Expedition(s): 8-12, 16, 18-20
Principal Investigator(s): ● Eric Groen, TNO Human Factors, Soesterberg, Netherlands
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Motion Perception: Vestibular Adaptation to G-Transitions (MOP) provides insight in the
process of vestibular adaptation to a gravity transition. Adaptation will be assessed by rating
motion perception as a result of body movements. MOP will also correlate susceptibility to
space adaptation syndrome (SAS) with susceptibility to sickness induced by centrifugation (SIC).
The results will allow the team to establish the time course of the adaptation process and
thereby set a further step in the determination of key parameters in vestibular adaptation.
RESULTS
The main results concern the correlation between SIC and SAS. Eight astronauts rated their
individual susceptibility to SIC and SAS on an 11-point rating scale in both the in-flight study and
the ground-based centrifuge study. Other than the previous observations, where susceptibility to
SAS was reported in a binary way (“yes” or “no”), the
ratings from the MOP questionnaire allowed for a more
detailed comparison. Data showed that the correlation
between the maximum SAS-rating reported in flight and
the maximum SIC-rating reported post-centrifuge is
statistically, highly significant (R=0.89; p=0.003). This
indicated that the extent to which an individual astronaut
suffered from SIC after centrifugation, was related to that
from SAS in flight.
The detailed ratings obtained within the MOP study
provided scientific evidence for previous anecdotal
observations that, different from sickness induced by car,
ship, or aircraft motion on Earth, SIC is highly correlated
with the in-flight SAS. It was concluded that any transition
from Earth’s gravity to another causes vestibular
adaptation problems. Additional tests performed during
the Baseline Data Collection showed that the centrifuge run affected orientation responses,
which depend on vestibular information about the direction of the Earth vertical. With these
results, space authorities and researchers now have a validated paradigm available to assess and
study SAS on Earth, which was lacking so far.
PUBLICATION(S)
Nooij SA, Bos JE, Groen EL, Bles W, Ockels WJ. Space sickness on earth. Microgravity Science
and Technology. September 2007;19(5-6):113-117. doi: 10.1007/BF02919464.
This investigation is complete and all results are published.
The Netherlands Organization for
Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
rotation chair combines vestibular
stimuli (tilt and/or rotation) with visual
stimuli (optic flow in roll). Used for
addressing motion and attitude
perception. ESA image.