Touching the Void: an investigation into the role of a population of gentle touch sensitive c-tactile afferents in social isolation and somatosensory deprivation during a long-duration Antarctic stay.

The aim of this project is to investigate the role of C-tactile (CT) afferents—a class of cutaneous, unmyelinated, low-threshold mechanosensitive nerve fibers recognized as a bottom-up neurobiological mechanism underlying the effects of social touch—in the impact of somatosensory deprivation during long-term missions in isolated confined and extreme environments. Concretely, we aim to monitor longitudinally at a crew overwintering at the Concordia station in Antarctica over two seasons CT-sensitivity via a manual tactile stimulator and depicted videos, cortisol and oxytocin via saliva and blood sampling), somatosensory, loneliness and attachment experiences, touch attitudes, and top-down stress coping mechanisms over time. The outcomes will contribute to better future safe planning of long-term missions.

Coordinator

This project is funded by the BELSPO PRODEX program of the Belgian Federal Science Office