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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02789007

Effects of Parabolic Flight on Spatial Cognition and Hippocampal Plasticity

The main objective of this experiment is to assess the impact of parabolic flight on (1) spatial memory and orientation, (2) the changes in brain structure and function, and particularly the hippocampal formation, and (3) biochemical markers of stress and neuroplasticity.

A preliminary study will be performed with the aims (1) to test during weightlessness hardware used to administer visuo-spatial testing and (2) to determine the optimal body posture for testing under microgravity conditions (i.e. body posture for which change in visuo-spatial testing induced by weightlessness is maximal).

The main criteria are:

* Structural and functional changes of brain evaluated by fMRI; * Cognitive performance, and specifically spatial cognition using a series computer-based tasks. * Key neurotrophins determined in venous blood samples The criteria used in the preliminary experiment is visuo-spatial performance evaluated with a computer-based test assessing spatial cognition.

The investigators hypothesize that hippocampal structure and function, and particularly the dentate gyrus, will be altered after parabolic flight compared to ground based controls. Specifically, the 3 tested hypotheses are:

* Parabolic flight induces changes in hippocampal structure; * Weightlessness induces changes in cognitive performance, and specifically spatial cognition; * There is a correlation between changes in hippocampal structure and changes in visuo-spatial memory performance. * There is a correlation between changes in hippocampal structure and changes in key neurotrophins.

The hypothesis tested during the preliminary experiment is that body posture affects the changes in spatial cognition performance.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Age range

18 year–67 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Caen CHU

Caen, 14000, France

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Healthy volunteers (men or women)
  • Aged from 18 to 67
  • Affiliated to a Social Security system and, for non-French resident, holding a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
  • Who accepted to take part in the study
  • Who have given their written stated consent
  • Who has passed a medical examination similar to a standard aviation medical examination for private pilot aptitude (JAR FCL3 Class 2 medical examination). There will be no additional test performed for subject selection.

Subjects will be staff member of the team or of other teams participating in the parabolic flight campaign.

Exclusion criteria

  • Person who took part in a previous biomedical research protocol, of which exclusion period is not terminated
  • Person with medical history of claustrophobia
  • Person with contraindication to MRI
  • Pregnant women

Treatment and study plan

Assess the impact of parabolic flight

Other

MRI testing will be performed using a 3T MRI facility in Bordeaux close to Novespace (CHU Pellegrin).

Spatial cognition will be assessed using a battery of in-house virtual paradigms General cognitive performance testing will include a wide range of cognitive functions, and particularly executive control using the Cognition Battery Mental status will be assessed on a tablet computer using a visual analogue scale Vigilant attention will be determined using the 3-min Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) Blood samples (5 mL per collection) will be collected prior to neuroimaging by venepuncture

Primary outcomes

  1. Structural and functional changes of brain

    Time frame: baseline

    evaluated by fMRI

Secondary outcomes

  1. Spatial Cognitive performance

    Time frame: baseline

    using a series computer-based tasks

  2. Key neurotrophins

    Time frame: baseline

    determined in venous blood samples

  3. visuo-spatial performance

    Time frame: baseline

    evaluated with a computer-based test assessing spatial cognition.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Hospital, Caen

Other

Collaborators

  • Novespace

Registry information

Acronym: HypoCampus

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Jun 2, 2016
Registry last updated
Feb 17, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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