Computer program to combat astronaut depression could help people on Earth

by William Atkins

Thursday, 21 August 2008

Page 1 of 3 ! NASA is seriously studying depression, psychological pressures, and interpersonal conflicts within its astronauts as the space agency gets ready to send long-duration manned missions to the Moon and Mars. Such space research should produce more understanding here on Earth on how isolation can affect human mental health. NASA psychologist Marc Shepanek, from the NASA Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer, states, "Lessons learned from the past, research in extreme environments, training, conditioning, and countermeasures for psychological stress are some of the things NASA is in the process of addressing for the upcoming age of exploration.” [EU.SpaceRef.com: “Psychologists show new ways to deal with health challenges in space”] One of the scientists performing research for NASA is U.S. psychologist James Carter, with Harvard University’s Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts. U.S.A. As part of the Neurobehavioral and Psychosocial Factors (NPF) area within the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Houston, Texas, Carter is working on a series of interactive computer programs, grouped together and called “Virtual Space Station." The program is being developed through a series of randomized, controlled clinical trials to combat depression and anxiety in astronauts, along with measures to resolve conflicts that may develop between the astronauts on long space flights. Eventually, astronauts may use the therapeutic computer program on themselves, say on a long-duration mission to Mars, to help relieve and solve problems of being isolated inside a space capsule far away from friends and family back on Earth. Carter states, "Behavioral health problems can interfere with the success of the mission, especially on long-duration space flights like missions to the International Space Station, the moon and Mars. These self-guided software tools will provide private and immediate access to treatments even though the patient may be many miles from Earth.” [EU.SpaceRef.com] Carter’s project is entitled “Self-Guided Depression Treatment on Long-Duration Spaceflights.” Page two talks about how veteran astronauts at the NASA Johnson Space Center are helping to research the problem of depression in space. << First page <   1 2 3 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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