Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2010

Mentor: Dr. Ben Levine
Department: Internal Medicine
Room number: IEEM (Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas)
Mail Code: 9034
Phone number: 214-345-4619
E-mail: benjaminlevine@texashealth.org
Project title: Cardiac Atrophy and Diastolic Dysfunction During and After Long Duration Spaceflight: Functional Consequences for Orthostatic Intolerance, Exercise Capacity, and Risk of Cardiac Arrhythmias

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 99-E377

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

Patient-based

Brief Description of Project:

Cardiac atrophy with associated diastolic dysfunction and orthostatic hypotension seems to develop over the course of prolonged spaceflight. These conditions could contribute to cardiac arrhythmias in crew members and significantly limit the duration of extended space missions. This experiment aims to quantify the extent, time course, and clinical significance of cardiac atrophy by monitoring different parameters of cardiac function in crew members on the Mir space station. A number of methods will be employed, including MRI, cardiac ultrasound, Tissue Doppler Imaging, and non-invasive arrhythmia tests. The results will determine the risk for cardiac atrophy and cardiac arrhythmias during spaceflight.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

Many