Stress Challenges and Immunity in Space

Stress of either a psychological or a physical nature can activate and/or paralyse humans’ innate or adaptive immunity. However, adequate immunity is crucial to the maintenance of health on earth and in space. During space flight, human physiology and health are challenged by complex environmental stressors (confinement, gravitation, oxygen tension, radiation) which might be at their most pronounced during lunar or interplanetary missions. This book adopts an interdisciplinary approach in seeking to identify the impact of living conditions in space on the adaptation of the immune system. While other publications have addressed the physiological changes that occur during space flight, to the authors’ knowledge this is the first book specifically to analyze the complex interaction of living conditions in space, the immune system, and astronauts’ health. It is explained how such analysis of the consequences of stress for the immune system may help in preventing, diagnosing, and counteracting immune-related alterations in health on earth as well as in space.