An on-site visit took place on June 25th at Campus Benjamin Franklin
as part of the “Heat and Health” initiative. Scientists from various fields as well as politicians attended in order to discuss how to approach the Heat and Health initiative for a sustainable future.
New publications from AG Stahn in Lancet Neurology, NeuroImage and Frontiers in Neural Circuits:
1. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) we investigated the effects of a high-intensity exercise program during 2 month of strict bed rest. We show that exercise increases neuronal efficiency in the hippocampus and parahippocampus during episodic memory processing after 2 months of immobilization. Our data provide further support for the modulating effects of physical exercise and adverse implications of a sedentary lifestyle and bedridden patients.
Friedl-Werner, A., Brauns, K., Gunga, H.C., Kühn, S. & A.C. Stahn. Exercise-induced changes in brain activity during memory encoding and retrieval after long-term bed rest. NeuroImage 223: 117359, 2020
Access full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117359
2. A commentary in Lancet Neurology on the need to understand the neurobehavioral effects for exploratory space mission.
Roberts, D., Stahn, A.C., Seidler, R., Wuyts, F. Towards understanding the effects of spaceflight on the brain. Lancet Neurology, 19(10): 808, 2020
Access full paper here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(20)30304-5/fulltext
3. Spatial updating is a fundamental skill underlying navigation. Spatial updating requires to continuously form and update transient sensorimotor representations about self-to-object relations during locomotion. It is critical fro situational awareness and readiness to act when vision is poor or unreliable such as in extreme situations of firefighters, divers, or astronauts performing extravehicular activities. We here show that different levels gravity other than 1 g impair the spatial updating abilities, and discuss the role of the vestibular system for maintaining this ability.
Stahn, A.C., Riemer, M., Wolbers, T., Friedl-Werner, A., Brauns, K., Besnard, S., Denise, P., Kühn, S., Gunga, H.C. Spatial Updating Depends on Gravity. Frontier in Neural Circuits, 14:20.
Access full paper here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2020.00020/full
We have now arrived in Carmacks. Temperatures are at an adequate level around -25°C so that it is neither too warm (so that the trail would get too soft) nor too cold for the athletes. However, snow is being awaited, which might make the trail more difficult. Nevertheless, several athletes had to abandon the race already. We are looking forward to see our participants arrive!
Storing all serum samples …
… into liquid Nitrogen.
Arrival in Braeburn.
Our participant Magda with her husband Uwe, resting in Braeburn.
