Spaceflight-relevant microgravity triggers a sublethal Parkinson's-like dopaminergic decline in human neurons and organoids.
Nilufar Ali, Shehbeel Arif, Max-Florian Mortimer, Matthew Brandner, Joshua Baldridge, Ruben Ferreira Paiva, Mukta S. Sane, Xinzhu Pu, Luke G. Woodbury, Gunes Uzer, Cheryl L. Jorcyk, Greg Hampikian, Masihhur R. Laskar, Julia Thom Oxford
72 h of clinostat-simulated microgravity pushed human dopaminergic organoids and SH-SY5Y neurons into a sublethal Parkinson's-like state: mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced translation, tyrosine hydroxylase loss, mitochondrial DNA release, no apoptosis.
bioRxiv · Jul 15, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience✦ In-depth digest