Unveiling the effects of microgravity on cognitive functions during parabolic flights

Human visuospatial and motor performance in microgravity is crucial for the success of future long-term space station and interplanetary missions. To ensure optimal performance during space missions, the acute and long-term effects of microgravity on spatial and motor cognitive functions need to be clarified. Due to the limited opportunities of spaceflights, the high associated costs, and the long intervals between launches, ground-based models of microgravity offer valuable alternatives. They allow researchers to simulate, replicate, and validate studies under controlled conditions, advancing our understanding of the effects of microgravity on human cognition. Among them parabolic flights (PFs) produce - through free fall conditions on Earth - short periods of microgravity qualitatively similar to those encountered on the International Space Station. PFs are used for both astronaut training and scientific research. This paper presents and discusses the use of parabolic flights to study the effects of microgravity on neurocognitive processes with a special focus on visuospatial and motor cognition.