Healthy VolunteersHypoCampusNCT02789007
Effects of Parabolic Flight on Spatial Cognition and Hippocampal Plasticity
A study testing Assess the impact of parabolic flight in people with Healthy Volunteers, run by University Hospital, Caen at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
The main objective of this experiment is to assess the impact of parabolic flight on (1) spatial memory and orientation, (2) the changes in brain structure and function, and particularly the hippocampal formation, and (3) biochemical markers of stress and neuroplasticity. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 67 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy Volunteers
- What is being tested?
- Assess the impact of parabolic flight
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 24 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- Mar 2016to Sep 2019
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 67 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy volunteers (men or women)
- Aged from 18 to 67
- Affiliated to a Social Security system and, for non-French resident, holding a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
- Who accepted to take part in the study
- Who have given their written stated consent
- Who has passed a medical examination similar to a standard aviation medical examination for private pilot aptitude (JAR FCL3 Class 2 medical examination). There will be no additional test performed for subject selection.
- Subjects will be staff member of the team or of other teams participating in the parabolic flight campaign.
Who cannot join
- Person who took part in a previous biomedical research protocol, of which exclusion period is not terminated
- Person with medical history of claustrophobia
- Person with contraindication to MRI
- Pregnant women
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The main objective of this experiment is to assess the impact of parabolic flight on (1) spatial memory and orientation, (2) the changes in brain structure and function, and particularly the hippocampal formation, and (3) biochemical markers of stress and neuroplasticity.
A preliminary study will be performed with the aims (1) to test during weightlessness hardware used to administer visuo-spatial testing and (2) to determine the optimal body posture for testing under microgravity conditions (i.e. body posture for which change in visuo-spatial testing induced by weightlessness is maximal).
Read more
The main criteria are:
- Structural and functional changes of brain evaluated by fMRI;
- Cognitive performance, and specifically spatial cognition using a series computer-based tasks.
- Key neurotrophins determined in venous blood samples The criteria used in the preliminary experiment is visuo-spatial performance evaluated with a computer-based test assessing spatial cognition.
The investigators hypothesize that hippocampal structure and function, and particularly the dentate gyrus, will be altered after parabolic flight compared to ground based controls. Specifically, the 3 tested hypotheses are:
- Parabolic flight induces changes in hippocampal structure;
- Weightlessness induces changes in cognitive performance, and specifically spatial cognition;
- There is a correlation between changes in hippocampal structure and changes in visuo-spatial memory performance.
- There is a correlation between changes in hippocampal structure and changes in key neurotrophins.
The hypothesis tested during the preliminary experiment is that body posture affects the changes in spatial cognition performance.
- Conditions
- Healthy Volunteers
- Being tested
- Assess the impact of parabolic flight
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Assess the impact of parabolic flightOther
MRI testing will be performed using a 3T MRI facility in Bordeaux close to Novespace (CHU Pellegrin).
Spatial cognition will be assessed using a battery of in-house virtual paradigms General cognitive performance testing will include a wide range of cognitive functions, and particularly executive control using the Cognition Battery Mental status will be assessed on a tablet computer using a visual analogue scale Vigilant attention will be determined using the 3-min Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) Blood samples (5 mL per collection) will be collected prior to neuroimaging by venepuncture
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| parabolic flight | Other | To evaluate Structural and functional changes, Cognitive performance, and specifically spatial cognition, Key neurotrophins... Receives: Other: Assess the impact of parabolic flight |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Structural and functional changes of brain
evaluated by fMRI
Measured: baseline
Secondary outcomes (3)
Spatial Cognitive performance
using a series computer-based tasks
Measured: baseline
Key neurotrophins
determined in venous blood samples
Measured: baseline
visuo-spatial performance
evaluated with a computer-based test assessing spatial cognition.
Measured: baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Jun 2016 (estimated)
- Study startMar 2016
- Primary completionMar 2019
- Study completionSep 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Healthy VolunteersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University Hospital, CaenThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Caen
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Novespace
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Pierre DP Denise, PhD, Principal investigator, University Hospital, Caen
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02789007
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2015-A02014-45
- Acronym
- HypoCampus
- Status last verified
- Nov 2016
- First submitted
- 21 Apr 2016
- Last updated
- 17 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Stahn AC, Riemer M, Wolbers T, Werner A, Brauns K, Besnard S, Denise P, Kuhn S, Gunga HC. Spatial Updating Depends on Gravity. Front Neural Circuits. 2020 Jun 5;14:20. doi: 10.3389/fncir.2020.00020. eCollection 2020.
PubMed 32581724
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Parabolic Flight on Spatial Cognition and Hippocampal Plasticity
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02789007
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HypoCampus / 2015-A02014-45
- Conditions
- Healthy Volunteers
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, CaenUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Novespace
- Study start
- Mar 2016
- Primary completion
- Mar 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- Sep 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Jun 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The main objective of this experiment is to assess the impact of parabolic flight on (1) spatial memory and orientation, (2) the changes in brain structure and function, and particularly the hippocampal formation, and (3) biochemical markers of stress and neuroplasticity.
A preliminary study will be performed with the aims (1) to test during weightlessness hardware used to administer visuo-spatial testing and (2) to determine the optimal body posture for testing under microgravity conditions (i.e. body posture for which change in visuo-spatial testing induced by weightlessness is maximal).
The main criteria are:
- Structural and functional changes of brain evaluated by fMRI;
- Cognitive performance, and specifically spatial cognition using a series computer-based tasks.
- Key neurotrophins determined in venous blood samples The criteria used in the preliminary experiment is visuo-spatial performance evaluated with a computer-based test assessing spatial cognition.
The investigators hypothesize that hippocampal structure and function, and particularly the dentate gyrus, will be altered after parabolic flight compared to ground based controls. Specifically, the 3 tested hypotheses are:
- Parabolic flight induces changes in hippocampal structure;
- Weightlessness induces changes in cognitive performance, and specifically spatial cognition;
- There is a correlation between changes in hippocampal structure and changes in visuo-spatial memory performance.
- There is a correlation between changes in hippocampal structure and changes in key neurotrophins.
The hypothesis tested during the preliminary experiment is that body posture affects the changes in spatial cognition performance.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| parabolic flight | Other | Other: Assess the impact of parabolic flightTo evaluate Structural and functional changes, Cognitive performance, and specifically spatial cognition, Key neurotrophins... |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 67 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Healthy volunteers (men or women)
- Aged from 18 to 67
- Affiliated to a Social Security system and, for non-French resident, holding a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
- Who accepted to take part in the study
- Who have given their written stated consent
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Person who took part in a previous biomedical research protocol, of which exclusion period is not terminated
- Person with medical history of claustrophobia
- Person with contraindication to MRI
- Pregnant women
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Assess the impact of parabolic flightMRI testing will be performed using a 3T MRI facility in Bordeaux close to Novespace (CHU Pellegrin). Spatial cognition will be assessed using a battery of in-house virtual paradigms General cognitive performance testing will include a wide range of cognitive functions, and particularly executive control using the Cognition Battery Mental status will be assessed on a tablet computer using a visual analogue scale Vigilant attention will be determined using the 3-min Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) Blood samples (5 mL per collection) will be collected prior to neuroimaging by venepuncture | Other | parabolic flight |
Primary outcome
Structural and functional changes of brain
Time frame: baseline
evaluated by fMRI
3 secondary outcomes
Spatial Cognitive performance
Time frame: baseline
Key neurotrophins
Time frame: baseline
visuo-spatial performance
Time frame: baseline
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Feb 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 32581724Stahn AC, Riemer M, Wolbers T, Werner A, Brauns K, Besnard S, Denise P, Kuhn S, Gunga HC. Spatial Updating Depends on Gravity. Front Neural Circuits. 2020 Jun 5;14:20. doi: 10.3389/fncir.2020.00020. eCollection 2020.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Healthy Volunteers
Not yet recruiting
Neuroergonomic Analysis of a Brain-Computer Interface Device (BCI)
Healthy Volunteers - Male and Female
RecruitingPhase 1
First-in-Human Trial to Assess REGN20423 in Healthy Adult Participants and Adult Participants With Atopic Dermatitis
Healthy Volunteer, Atopic Dermatitis
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Establishment of Biobank of Nasal Epithelium Samples From Healthy Volunteers
Healthy
RecruitingObservational study
Improved Methods of Cell Selection for Bone Marrow Transplant Alternatives
Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Graft-versus-leukemia
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Screening Protocol
Pain
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Pierre DP Denise, PhD principal investigator
University Hospital, Caen
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Assess the impact of parabolic flight in people with Healthy Volunteers, run by University Hospital, Caen at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Structural and functional changes of brain (time frame: baseline). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02789007, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Feb 2026.