Abstract
Numerous studies have shown significant effects of weightlessness on adaptational processes of the CNS, cardiovascular and/or muscular system. Most of these studies have been carried out during parabolic flights, using the recurring 20 s of weightlessness at each parabola. Although some of these studies reported on potential influences not only of weightlessness but also of the stressful situation within a parabolic flight, especially provoked by the ongoing changes between 1.8, 1 and 0 G, so far there seems to be only marginal information about objective parameters of stress evoked by parabolic flights. By collecting blood samples from a permanent venous catheter several times during parabolic flights, we were able to show an increase of prolactin, cortisol and ACTH in the course of a 120 min flight. We conclude, therefore, that previous reported effects of weightlessness on adaptational processes may be affected not only by weightlessness but also by the exposure to other stressors experienced within the environment of a Zero-G airbus.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the analytical team of the Institute of Cardiology and Sports Medicine, Anke Manderfeld and Astrid Hofrichter for their outstanding experience and help. Thanks to all our subjects, suffering more or less. A special thank goes to Mark Satterthwaite for doing the final edits on this manuscript. Finally we like to thank the team at NOVESPACE for giving us all the support we needed. This study was made possible by a grant of the German Space Agency (DLR) 50WB0519.
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Schneider, S., Brümmer, V., Göbel, S. et al. Parabolic flight experience is related to increased release of stress hormones. Eur J Appl Physiol 100, 301–308 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0433-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0433-8