Microglia: Ally and Enemy in Deep Space

Kira D A Rienecker; Maria Serena Paladini; Katherine Grue; Karen Krukowski; Susanna Rosi

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.036

Microglia: Ally and Enemy in Deep Space

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021 Jul:126:509-514. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.036. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Authors

Kira D A Rienecker¹, Maria Serena Paladini¹, Katherine Grue¹, Karen Krukowski¹, Susanna Rosi²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
² Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute of Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Electronic address: susanna.rosi@ucsf.edu.

PMID: 33862064
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.036

Abstract

In 2024 the first female astronaut will land on the moon, advancing our preparations for human missions to Mars. While on Earth we are protected from space radiation by our planet's magnetic field, on such deep space voyages astronauts will be exposed to high energy particles from solar flares and galactic cosmic rays (GCR). This exposure carries risks to the central nervous system (CNS) that could jeopardize the mission and astronaut health. Earth-bound studies have employed a variety of single-beam and sequential radiation exposures to simulate the effects of GCR exposure in rodents. Multiple studies have shown that GCR simulation induces a maladaptive activation of microglia - the brain-resident immune cells. GCR simulation also induced synaptic changes resulting in lasting cognitive and behavioral defects. Female and male mice show different susceptibilities to GCR exposure, and evidence suggests this sexually dimorphic response is linked to microglia. Manipulating microglia can prevent the development of cognitive deficits in male mice exposed to components of GCR. This discovery may provide clues towards how to protect astronauts' cognitive and behavioral health both during deep space missions and upon return to Earth.

Keywords: CNS; Cognition; Galactic cosmic rays; Microglia; Sex dimorphism; Synapses.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Astronauts
Cosmic Radiation*
Female
Humans
Male
Mice
Microglia
Space Flight*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding