Longitudinal Brain-age predictions comprising long-duration spaceflight missions

Longitudinal Brain-age predictions comprising long-duration spaceflight missions Full article

Journal

npj Microgravity
ISSN: 2373-8065

Output data

Year: 2026, Volume: 12, Number: 24, DOI: 10.1038/s41526-026-00575-3

Authors

Tang Ge ^1,2 , Patil Kaustubh R. ^3,4 , Hoffstaedter Felix ^3,4 , More Shammi ^3,4 , Eickhoff Simon B. ^3,4 , Jillings Steven ⁵ , Jeurissen Ben ⁶ , Gerlach Darius ⁸ , Tomilovskaya Elena ⁷ , Nosikova Inna ⁷ , Riabova Alexandra ⁷ , Pechenkova Ekaterina ⁹ , Petrovichev Viktor ¹⁰ , Rukavishnikov Ilya ⁷ , Makovskaya Lyudmila ¹¹ , Van Ombergen Angelique ^12,13 , Wuyts Floris L. ⁵ , zu Eulenburg Peter ^1,2,14

Affiliations

1	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences , Germany
2	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Institute for Neuroradiology, Germany
3	Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
4	Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
5	Lab for Equilibrium Investigations and Aerospace, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
6	Imec/Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
7	SSC RF – Institute of Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
8	German Aerospace Center Agency (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
9	Laboratory for Cognitive Research, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
10	Radiology Department, Federal Center of Treatment and Rehabilitation, Moscow, Russia
11	Radiology Department at the Medical Research and Educational Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), Moscow, Russia
12	Department of Translational Neurosciences – ENT, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
13	Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk, Netherlands
14	German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany

Funding (1)

Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia

FMFR-2024-0033

Our study investigates the effects of long-duration spaceflight on brain aging in spacefarers using structural MRI and machine learning models. Pre-, post-, and follow-up scans of ROS cosmonauts ESA astronauts, and matched Earth-bounding controls were analyzed. We found a considerable difference between the spacefareres and the control group, especially in the ESA cohorts (ß = 0.63). In the ROS cohorts, we observed a difference between the pre- and post-flight scans. A post-hoc analysis revealed that the pre-flight brain age delta was 0.842 years less than the immediate post-flight brain age delta after long-duration spaceflight. All three machine learning models showed good to excellent intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) between the two consecutive MRI sessions. Our findings suggest that long-duration spaceflight may have an effect on human brain aging as observed from MRI.

Tang G. , Patil K.R. , Hoffstaedter F. , More S. , Eickhoff S.B. , Jillings S. , Jeurissen B. , Gerlach D. , Tomilovskaya E. , Nosikova I. , Riabova A. , Pechenkova E. , Petrovichev V. , Rukavishnikov I. , Makovskaya L. , Van Ombergen A. , Wuyts F.L. , zu Eulenburg P.
Longitudinal Brain-age predictions comprising long-duration spaceflight missions
npj Microgravity. 2026. V.12. N24. DOI: 10.1038/s41526-026-00575-3 OpenAlex

Submitted:	Sep 14, 2025
Accepted:	Feb 7, 2026
Published print:	Feb 18, 2026

OpenAlex:

W7130417855

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