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Description

During deep space exploration, astronauts depend on mission-essential performance in Dual Cognitive Motor Tasks (DCMT), such as receiving information from ground control to assemble and configure wires during a spacewalk. DCMT relies upon processing cognitive and motor information simultaneously. Previous research on rodent models has shown various impairments in cognition and motor function in separate tasks after exposure to deep space radiation and sleep fragmentation (SF). However, an assessment of DCMT performance in rodents has not been established. Rats and humans use similar hand-over-hand movements to pull a string, and task demands may be varied to assess cognition and motor function simultaneously using this behavior. Therefore, string-pulling behavior was used to develop DCMT to assess performance in female outbred Wistar, retired breeder, rats exposed to 10 centi-grays of 250 MeV/n Helium (n=9) and sham (n=8) with pre-/post-SF conditions. During DCMT, rats had to discriminate between string pairings that varied in cues and order presentations. Rats were given up to 30 trials/day to fulfill criterion (four consecutive correct string pairing selections) before undergoing one 12h session of SF in a chamber containing a bar that swept horizontally every two minutes. Results thus far show that rats engaged in increased test and trial quantities following SF regardless of irradiation status. Additional analyses are ongoing, and the results will be delivered at the poster presentation. DCMT in SF irradiated rats may provide translational insights into how spaceflight stressors impact mission-critical performance.

Publisher Location

Las Vegas (Nev.)

Publication Date

Fall 11-22-2024

Publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Keywords

Space Radiation; Sleep Fragmentation; Dual Cognitive Motor Task; Discrimination; String Pulling

Disciplines

Behavior and Ethology | Cognitive Psychology | Cognitive Science

File Format

PDF

File Size

7340 KB

Comments

Mentor: Ashley Blackwell

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

The Utilization of String Pulling to Determine Female Rats' Dual Cognitive Motor Task Performance Following Space Flight Stressor Exposure


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