Cosmic Radiation May Leave Astronauts With Long-Term "Space Brain," University of California, Irvine Study

This is your brain in space — and it does not look pretty. Scientists studying the effects of radiation in rodents say that astronauts exposed to galactic cosmic rays could face a host of cognitive problems, including chronic dementia.

The UC Irvine-led study, published in Scientific Reports, adds to a growing body of research on the harmful effects humans may reckon with as they venture out longer and deeper into space, whether on trips to Mars or potentially beyond.

“Recovery of the brain [from] these exposures certainly takes a very long time — so these are very chronic consequences,” said study leader Charles Limoli, a neuroscientist and radiation biologist at UC Irvine. “This of course raises a concern for NASA.”

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