The critical problem of space exploration is the effect of long-term space travel on brain functioning. Current information concerning the effects of actual spaceflight on the brain was obtained on rats and mice flown on five missions of Soviet/Russian biosatellites, NASA Neurolab Mission STS90, and International Space Station (ISS). The review provides converging lines of evidence that: 1) long-term spaceflight affects both principle regulators of brain neuroplasticity – neurotransmitters (5-HT and DA) and neurotrophic factors (CDNF, GDNF but not BDNF); 2) 5-HT- (5-HT_2A receptor and MAO A) and especially DA-related genes (TH, MAO A, COMT, D1 receptor, CDNF and GDNF) belong to the risk neurogenes; 3) brain response to spaceflight is region-specific. Substantia nigra, striatum and hypothalamus are highly sensitive to the long-term spaceflight: in these brain areas spaceflight decreased the expression of both DA-related and neurotrophic factors genes. Since DA system is involved in the regulation of movement and cognition the data discussed in the review could explain dysfunction of locomotion and behavior of astronauts and direct further investigations to the DA system.

太空探索的关键问题是长期太空旅行对大脑功能的影响。在执行苏联/俄罗斯生物卫星五次飞行任务，NASA Neurolab STS90任务和国际空间站（ISS）飞行的老鼠中，获得了有关实际太空飞行对大脑影响的最新信息。该综述提供了越来越多的证据：1）长期太空飞行既影响大脑神经可塑性的主要调节因子，也影响神经递质（5-HT和DA）和神经营养因子（CDNF，GDNF，但不影响BDNF）；2）5-HT-（5-HT _2A受体和MAO A），尤其是DA相关基因（TH，MAO A，COMT，D1受体，CDNF和GDNF）属于危险神经基因。3）大脑对太空飞行的反应是特定于区域的。黑质，纹状体和下丘脑对长期航天高度敏感：在这些大脑区域中，航天降低了DA相关基因和神经营养因子基因的表达。由于DA系统参与运动和认知的调节，因此本文中讨论的数据可以解释宇航员的运动功能和行为异常，并将进一步的研究引向DA系统。