NASA Rat Study on Muscle Atrophy in Simulated Space Gravity

NASA conducted a study on 120 Fischer rats to determine the influence of gonadectomy on muscle atrophy progression in simulated microgravity (0g) and partial gravity (0.4g, Martian) environments. The rats underwent surgeries and were exposed to different loading conditions for 28 days, with muscle health assessed via pQCT (Peripheral quantitative computed tomography). The dataset was last updated on March 13, 2026.

Use Cases

• Modeling sex-specific muscle loss in simulated space environments based on hormone status.
• Analyzing the relationship between estrous cycle disruption and muscle atrophy under different gravity loads.
• Comparing the effects of castration versus ovariectomy on body weight and gastrocnemius muscle loss during unloading.
• Investigating the protective or exacerbating role of testosterone and estradiol in musculoskeletal health during spaceflight analogs.

Strengths

• Study design includes a controlled sample of 120 rats with specific surgical and gravity-exposure groups.
• Provides quantitative results on estrous cycle phases (e.g., ~47% in 1g vs. 72% in 0.4g) and statistical significance (P=0.005).
• Data originates from the authoritative source NASA.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data format is listed as BIN, which may require specialized tools for access and analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Controlled laboratory experiment on Fischer rats using hindlimb unloading and partial weight-bearing protocols.

Time Range

Experimental exposure period was 28 days following a 2-week recovery.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 20:03:29.928406; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Laboratory study; geographic location is not specified.