PHYSIOLAB - A CARDIOVASCULAR LABORATORY

PHYSIOLAB is a cardio-vascular laboratory designed by CNES in cooperat ion with IMBP, with double scientific and medical goals : a better und erstanding of the basic mechanisms involved in blood pressure and hear t rate regulation, in order to predict and control the phenomenon of c ardio-vascular deconditionning. a real-time monitoring of cosmonauts d uring functionnal tests. Launched to the MIR station in 1996, this lab oratory was set up and used for the first time by Claudie Andre-Deshay s during the French mission <<Cassiopeia>>. The scientific program is performed pre, post and in-night to study phenomena related to the tra nsition to microgravity as well as the return to the earth conditions. Particular emphasis was placed on the development of the real-time te lemetry to monitor LBNP test. This function was successfull during the Cassiopeia mission, providing the medical team at TSOUP (MIR Control Center in Moscow) with efficient means to control the physiological st ate of the cosmonaut. Based on the results of this first mission, IMBP and CNES will go on using Physiolab with Russian crews. CNES will tak e advantage of the upcoming French missions on MIR to improve the syst em, and intends to develop a new laboratory for the International Spac e Station. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese rved.