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NASA studies Astronauts' brains on Year-Long space missions

NCT ID NCT04856410

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only This study
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study looks at how spending 2, 6, or 12 months on the International Space Station changes astronauts' brain structure and thinking skills, including memory and spatial awareness. Researchers will use brain scans and cognitive tests to track these changes over time. The goal is to understand the risks of long-duration space travel for future missions.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If successful, this research could help NASA understand how to protect astronauts' brains during long space missions, like trips to Mars.
What could go wrong
This is a very small observational study with only 14 participants, so findings may not apply to all astronauts. It measures changes but does not test any treatment.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 14 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Aug 2021

Expected to finish

Jun 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Astronauts (according to NASA requirements) 2. Normal, healthy volunteers (astronaut surrogates) - Astronaut surrogates will be matched for sex, age and education relative to astronauts Exclusion Criteria: For astronauts and normal, healthy volunteers (astronaut surrogates): 1. Subjects that do not comply with the MRI testing requirements. The following and other conditions may exclude the subject from MRI scanning or require additional examination to assess specific contraindications: * Tinnitus; * Sensori-neural hearing loss \> 30 decibels (dB); * Pace-maker or internal defibrillator; * metallic implants (e.g. orthopedic plates after bone fractures, joint replacements, surgical staples or clips, artificial heart valves, stents, cava filters); * Metallic splinters (e.g. after an accident or due to war injury); * Non-removable dental brace; * Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUD) that are not MRI-compatible; * Cochlear implant (implanted hearing device); * Medication pump; * Acupuncture needle; * Other foreign bodies/objects which are non-removable; * Pregnancy (or its possibility); * Previous brain and/or heart surgery. * Tattoos and/or permanent make-up in the body (some inks contain metallic particles). 2. Female subjects in this study are either astronauts or will model those in the astronaut population for whom participation in space missions is not allowed during pregnancy.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Brain structure Cognitive performance

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    3 sites in 2 countries. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Berlin, 10117, Germany

  • Johnson Space Center (JSC)

    Houston, Texas, 77058, United States

  • University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

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