AbstractMammals have evolved under the influence of many selective pressures. Two of these pressures have been the static force of gravity and the daily variations in the environment due to the rotation of the earth. It is now clear that each of these pressures has led to specific adaptations which influence how organisms respond to changes in either gravity or daily time cues. However, several unpredicted responses to altered gravitational environments occur within the homeostatic and circadian control systems. These results may be particularly relevant to biological and medical issues related to spaceflight. This paper demonstrates that the homeostatic regulation of rat body temperature, heart rate, and activity become depressed following exposure to a 2 G hyperdynamic field, and recovers within 5–6 days. In addition, the circadian rhythms of these same variables exhibit a depression of rhythm amplitude; however, recovery required a minimum of 7 days.
Gravitational biology and the mammalian circadian timing system
Advances in Space Research ; 9 , 11 ; 283-292
1989-01-01
10 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Influence of Gravity on the Circadian Timing System
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1994
|Influence of gravity on the circadian timing system
NTRS | 1994
|Influence of gravity on the circadian timing system
Elsevier | 1994
|Section 7. Gravitational Developmental Biology
Online Contents | 1996