Aerospace Psychiatry : Indo-Soviet Joint Manned Space Odyssey and Yogic Perspective

Dr.J.M.Wadhawan MD,PhD

Chairperson

Department of Psychiatry

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital

Presidential address oration on 14th December 2008 at Sariska Palace,Alwar

Aerospace Psychiatry : An Emerging New Frontier

Chandrayyan-I : 14th November, 2008 Chandrayyan-II : Between 2010 to 2012 Manned flight low earth orbit - 2014

Manned Lunar mission : 2020 Colonization of moon and mars

Aerospace Psychiatry : An Emerging New Frontier

Pictures of the Earth taken by Chandrayyan 1

Indo-Soviet Joint Manned Space Odyssey

Indian Cosmonaut : Rakesh Sharma

3rd April – 11 April ,1984

Significance of Space Odyssey

Scientific Strategic and military purposes Commercial Industrial Political

Environmental stresses during Space Flight

Internal elements of man

Dynamic elements : Weightlessness

: Acceleration

Physical elements

Environmental stresses during Space Flight

Physical elements :

Radiation safety

Artificial gas atmosphere and it’s contaminants

Affects of Zero-g space environment on cardiovascular system

Headward fluid shift

Complex neuro-humoral reflex mechanism

Cardiovascular deconditioning

Affects of Zero-g space environment on musculo-skeletal system

Comparative disuse and atonia of muscles Decrease in bioelectric activity of neck,pelvis and back muscles Decrease in muscle volume particularly lower extremities Increase in performance time Diminished work capacity Rapid fatigue

Space motion sickness

Americans : 80 %

Soviet : 60 %

Spatial illusory sensations in weightlessness

Tumbling forward or backward

Inverted or head down body position

Spinning of body

Nysgatmus in space

Spontaneous nystagmus seen in both horizontal and vertical directions

Positional nystagmus

Selection of a cosmonaut

Selection amongst supernormal

Performance evaluation on flight oriented psychomotor tasks

Isolation

Selection of a cosmonaut

Training of a cosmonaut

18 months to 2 years

Zero gravity training

Centrifuge rotation training

Physical training

Training of a cosmonaut

Training of a cosmonaut

Training of a cosmonaut

Training of a cosmonaut

Yoga experiments

Aimed to determine the role of yogic exercises in minimising the adverse effects of weightlessness during the space flight from 3rd April to 11th April 1984

Yoga experiments

Yogic Asanas

Yogic Asanas

Yogic Asanas

Stretch up exercise

Tiger stretch

SURYANAMASKAR

SURYANAMASKAR

SURYANAMASKAR

SURYANAMASKAR

SURYANAMASKAR

SURYANAMASKAR

SURYANAMASKAR

SURYANAMASKAR

Ardhakati chakrasana

Parsva konasana

Ardha Cakrasana

Padahastasana

Parivrtta Trikonasana

Uddiyana Bandha

Sasankasana

Ustrasana

Pascimatanasana

Padmasana

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Viparitakarani Asana

Sarvangasana

Matsyasana

Halasana

Cakrasana

Bhujangasana

Salabhasana

Dhanurasana

Shavasana

Yogic exercises Vs standard inflight exercise

Comparable results

Definite beneficial effects

Experience in the orbit

Felt suspended upside down for 3-5 hours Face flushed Fullness of nose Temperature 99 degree F Positional disorientation Confusion Backache Beautiful views of earth and sky Orbital home comfortable

Experience in the orbit

Inflight Mood Rating Questionnaire

Medico-psychological Questionnaire

Return to Earth

Returned from maiden space voyage on 11th April 2008

Felt weight had gone up 3 times and this feeling lasted for 12-18 hours

Disorientation,fuzziness of head lasted for 3 days

After 3 days,felt as good a back to earth bound life

Return to Earth

Return to Earth

Conclusion

Biomedical information obtained from manned space flight so far optimistic

Various body systems are involved in the adaptation processes: in 1-2 months,man becomes relatively stable

Yogic exercises had beneficial effects on the Indian Cosmonaut

Conclusion Future of planet earth lies on outer space Absence of gravity is major hurdle to civilization in space Certain problems remain unsolved like increased susceptibility to

illness,lowered resistance to infection and neuro-emotional changes Search on solution needs further experiments in this field of life

sciences Evidence indicates that the extent of adaptation to weightlessness and

to other forces can be manipulated by various means A promising role for Psychiatrists,Psychologists and other medical

specialities.