Engineering topics

Igarashi, Makoto

Publications and source records attributed to Igarashi, Makoto.

7 records

NASA NTRS1991

Acute hemodynamic response to weightlessness during parabolic flight

The effect of a short exposure to weightlessness on hemodynamic parameters of humans was investigated in seven subjects flown aboard the KC-135 aircraft. Particular attention is given to the relationships among various hemodynamic responses to hypergravic and hypogravic states, observed for four different postures: semisupine, supine, standing, and sitting. Results are presented on changes in the thoracic fluid index, heart rate, cardiac index, and the coefficient of variation of the R-R intervals. High values of the coefficient of variation were found at the onset of 0-G, suggesting that vagal cardiac neural activity increases in all positions except supine (where a small decrease was registered).

Mukai, Chiaki N.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Role of the vestibular end organs in experimental motion sickness - A primate model

Experimental studies of the role of vestibular end organs in motion sickness experienced by squirrel monkeys are reviewed. The first experiments in motion-sickness-susceptible squirrel monkeys were performed under a free-moving condition with horizontal rotation and vertical oscillation. In the following experiments, the vestibular-visual conflict in the pitch plane was given to the chair-restrained (upright position) squirrel monkeys. Results of this study showed that the existence of otolith afferents, which continually signal the directional change of gravity and linear acceleration vectors, was necessary for the elicitation of emesis by the sensory conflict in pitch.

Igarashi, Makoto↗

NASA NTRS1988

Vestibular-related neuroscience and manned space flight

The effects of weightlessness on the human vestibular system are examined, reviewing the results of recent investigations. The functional, neurophysiological, and neurochemical changes which occur during adaptation to weightlessness are discussed; theoretical models proposed to explain the underlying mechanism are outlined; and particular attention is given to the author's experiments on squirrel monkeys. There, good correlations were found between (1) the recovery of locomotor balance function in the acute compensation phase after unilateral labyrinthectomy and (2) the bilateral imbalance in the optical density of GABA-like immunoreactivity.

Igarashi, Makoto↗

NASA NTRS1987

Role of otolith endorgans in the genesis of vestibular-visual conflict sickness (pitch) in the squirrel monkey (First report)

The effects of ablation of the macula utriculi and macula sacculi on vestibular-visual conflict emesis in squirrel monkeys are investigated. An optokinetic drum and a turntable were used for the direction conflict experiment. A significant difference between the preoperative condition and postunilateral and postbilateral utriculo-sacculectomy conditions is observed. It is detected that after unilateral sacculectomy the conflict sickness decreases and no emesis occurs; however, 4.5 months after sacculectomy, the animals regain their conflict sickness. The data reveal that macular afferents are important in the genesis of sensory conflict emesis and two submodalities may be needed to cause conflict sickness onset.

Igarashi, Makoto↗

NASA NTRS1987

Vestibular-visual conflict training

Squirrel monkeys susceptible to vestibular-visual conflict (similar to that produced in space motion) were successfully trained to lesser sensitivity by repeated exposures to various randomly mixed patterns of vestibular-visual conflict in sagittal plane. As long as the training effect was retained, trained animals exhibited low sickness scores and no emesis. It is suggested that the adaptation maneuvers described in this study can be effective as a training routine for crew members immediately prior to their space flight missions.

Igarashi, Makoto↗

NASA NTRS1986

Effect of macular ablation on frequency and latency of motion-induced emesis in the squirrel monkey

Three previously motion-emetic sensitive squirrel monkeys were rendered refractory to a standard motion-emetic regimen by a two-stage utriculosacculectomy procedure which preserved the cristae ampullares of semicircular canals. Three nonoperated control squirrel monkeys tested on the same motion-emetic regimen time schedule as the operated animals remained motion-emetic sensitive with regard to incidence, frequency, and latency of motion-induced emetic responses. Following a sham surgical procedure (stapedectomy) performed on two of the latter animals and one additional new animal, the emetic incidence decreased from 100 to 89 percent, but the frequency and latency were not altered significantly.

Brizzee, Kenneth R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Vestibular-visual conflict in pitch and yaw planes in the squirrel monkey

Direction conflicting vestibular and visual (optokinetic) stimuli either in the pitch or yaw plane were given to squirrel monkey subjects. The conflict sickness symptom score in the pitch plane was significantly higher than that in the yaw plane for the initial exposure session (p less than 0.01). A significant score difference was also encountered when the exposure sessions were repeated (p less than 0.05).

Igarashi, Makoto↗