Electrocortical Evidence for Impaired Affective Picture Processing after Long-Term Immobilization

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 12;9(1):16610. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52555-1.

Abstract

The neurobehavioral risks associated with spaceflight are not well understood. In particular, little attention has been paid on the role of resilience, social processes and emotion regulation during long-duration spaceflight. Bed rest is a well-established spaceflight analogue that combines the adaptations associated with physical inactivity and semi-isolation and confinement. We here investigated the effects of 30 days of 6 degrees head-down tilt bed rest on affective picture processing using event-related potentials (ERP) in healthy men. Compared to a control group, bed rest participants showed significantly decreased P300 and LPP amplitudes to pleasant and unpleasant stimuli, especially in centroparietal regions, after 30 days of bed rest. Source localization revealed a bilateral lower activity in the posterior cingulate gyrus, insula and precuneus in the bed rest group in both ERP time frames for emotional, but not neutral stimuli.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Affect / physiology*
  • Bed Rest / adverse effects*
  • Bed Rest / psychology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Electroencephalography
  • Emotions / physiology
  • Evoked Potentials / physiology*
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology
  • Humans
  • Immobilization / adverse effects*
  • Immobilization / physiology
  • Male
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Visual Perception / physiology*