Space travel may hasten Alzheimer in astronauts -Evidence of ionising radiation effecting the brain?

Space travel may hasten Alzheimer in astronauts

Sat Jan 5, 2013 11:30AM GMT

According to the study published in the journal PLOS ONE, when astronauts leave orbit for deep space missions to places like Mars they are exposed to constant shower of different radioactive particles which can accelerate changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. 

While space is full of radiation, the earth’s magnetic field generally protects the planet and people in low earth orbit from these particles, scientists clarified. 

“Galactic cosmic radiation poses a significant threat to future astronauts,” said the senior author of the study M. Kerry O’Banion, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the University Of Rochester Medical Center (URMC).

Though the astronauts can be shielded from harmful radiation associated with solar flares but there is no effective protection against some other forms of cosmic radiation. 

During 25 years research to determine the potential health risks of space travel, NASA found that the astronauts have been mainly threatened by the potential cancer and cardiovascular diseases. 

Recent finding reveals that they are in danger of musculoskeletal impact of galactic cosmic radiation as well. 

While the findings clearly show that exposure to radiation in space has the potential to speed up the development of Alzheimer’s disease, 
“this is yet another factor that NASA, which is concerned about the health risks to its astronauts, will need to take into account as it plans future missions,” O’Banion noted. 

FGP/FGP

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/01/05/281915/space-travel-may-cause-brain-damage/

Chernobyl Birds Have Smaller Brains

Abstract

Background

Animals living in areas contaminated by radioactive material from Chernobyl suffer from increased oxidative stress and low levels of antioxidants. Therefore, normal development of the nervous system is jeopardized as reflected by high frequencies of developmental errors, reduced brain size and impaired cognitive abilities in humans. Alternatively, associations between psychological effects and radiation have been attributed to post-traumatic stress in humans……

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0016862

January 7, 2013 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized