Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)Jan 5, 2025

How Microgravity Changes Sensorimotor Learning and Related Brain Activity

Updated Jan 17, 2026

Abstract

Astronauts (n = 13) showed no change in adaptation during their 6-month mission in microgravity.

Adaptation to sensory conflict in microgravity may not be disrupted; astronauts maintained adaptation levels throughout the mission.
Greater aftereffects of adaptation were observed in astronauts while in microgravity, unlike Earth-bound controls.
Increased brain activity was noted in astronauts from pre- to post-flight, suggesting a compensatory mechanism for maintaining performance.
This increased brain activity did not return to baseline levels until 90 days after returning to Earth.
Microgravity appears to affect de-adaptation processes, with long-term neural activation changes observed post-flight.

Simplified

The microgravity environment results in transient changes in sensorimotor behavior upon astronauts' return to Earth; the effects on behavior inflight are less understood. We examined whether adaptation to sensory conflict is disrupted in microgravity, suggesting competition for adaptive resources. We evaluated sensorimotor adaptation pre-, in-, and post-flight, as well as functional brain changes at pre- and post-flight, in astronauts participating in International Space Station missions. Astronauts (n = 13) performed this task pre- and four times post-flight within an MRI scanner and performed the task three times in microgravity during a 6-mo mission. We collected behavioral data from Earth-bound controls (n = 13) along the same timeline. Astronauts displayed no change in adaptation from pre- to inflight or following their return to Earth. They showed greater aftereffects of adaptation inflight; controls did not. Astronauts also displayed increased brain activity from pre- to post-flight. These increases did not return to baseline levels until 90 d post-flight. This pattern of brain activity may reflect compensation, allowing astronauts to maintain pre-flight performance levels. These findings indicate that microgravity does not alter short-term visuomotor adaptation; however, it does affect de-adaptation, and post-flight sensorimotor neural activation can take up to 90 d to return to pre-flight levels.

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