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Publications

Journal Article Epublish 2 citations

PubMed: 41224777 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-025-00531-7

Long-duration human spaceflight induces atrophy in the left ventricular papillary muscles.

NPJ Microgravity 11(1):79

Authors: C Tordeur, E Abdessater, A Hossein, F Righetti, V Sinitsyn, E Mershina, E Luchitskaya, E G Caiani, V Faoro, J Tank, P van de Borne, P-F Migeotte, J Rabineau

Affiliations

  • Laboratory of Physics and Physiology (LPHYS), Department of Cardiology, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles - Erasme Hospital, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Faculty of Medicine, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Research Unit in Cardio-Respiratory Physiology, Exercise & Nutrition, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Brussels Laboratory of the Universe (BLU-ULB), Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Laboratory of Physics and Physiology (LPHYS), Department of Cardiology, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles - Erasme Hospital, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Faculty of Medicine, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Brussels Laboratory of the Universe (BLU-ULB), Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Research Unit in Cardio-Respiratory Physiology, Exercise & Nutrition, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Electronics, Information and Bioengineering Dpt. Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
  • Department of Radiology, Medical Educational and Scientific Center University Hospital, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
  • Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
  • IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, San luca Hospital, Milan, Italy.
  • Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany.
  • Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.

Abstract

Microgravity exposure induces cardiac deconditioning, primarily due to hypovolemia and inactivity. Animal models suggest microgravity may cause left ventricular (LV) papillary muscle atrophy, but this has not been studied in humans. This study used MRI to assess LV papillary muscle mass and LV morphology and function in nine male cosmonauts before and 6 ± 2 days after long-duration spaceflight (247 ± 90 days). Spaceflight did not affect LV volumes, ejection fraction, and strain parameters, but increased heart rate (P < 0.001) and cardiac output (P = 0.03). LV papillary muscle mass decreased by 14% (P = 0.017), while LV mass tended to increase (P = 0.083), mitral annular diameter increased (P = 0.004) without mitral leakage, and LV sphericity increased (P = 0.02). These findings suggest LV adapts to space with geometric changes, but microgravity-induced papillary muscle atrophy requires further study for long-term implications.

MeSH

Muscular Atrophy, Space Flight, Muscles, Atrophy, Papillary Muscles