Microgravity affects the nervous system and aging in C. elegans through reduced tactile stimulation
Atsushi Higashitani, Je-Hyun Moon, Jong-In Hwang, Nahoko Higashitani, Tōkō Hashizume, Ahmad Aisha Abu, Kazuki Ooizumi, Ibuki Sazuka, Yoshimitsu Hashizume, Masumi Umehara, Alfredo V. Alcantara, Ban-Seok Kim, Timothy Etheridge, Nathaniel J. Szewczyk, Takaaki Abe, , Akira Higashibata
This study shows microgravity reduces mechanoreceptor gene expression in C. elegans, causing neuromuscular defects and accelerated aging, but physical stimulation in space can reverse these effects.
bioRxiv · Feb 19, 2026 · PreprintSystems Biology