Mood and autonomic nervous system activity during 520 days of confinement in a simulated mission to Mars

ANDRÉ E. AUBERT; DANIEL E. VIGO; BARBARA OGRINZ; LI WAN; FRANCIS TUERLINCKX; OMER VAN DEN BERGH; EVGENY BERSENEV

Simposio; 12th European Life Sciences Symposium; 2012

The aim of our study was to investigate whether mood and cardiovascular autonomic control were specifically altered by long-term confinement during the 520 days period of the Mars500 mission. Mood alterations were assessed through questionnaires filled out by the crew on a daily basis. Physiological measurements, performed every two months, included 24h-ECG Holter recordings, as well as additional short-duration ECG and blood pressure measurements. We will give a descriptive overview of the data, including the missing data. Preliminary results regarding mood data and sleepwake differences of cardiac autonomic activity will be presented. Based on Mars 105 pilot study results published by our group and others, we hypothesize an increased parasympathetic activity during wake periods, as well as a decrease in mood during the first months of isolation.