""Foreword""; ""Preface to the Series""; ""Contents""; ""Chapter 1: Posture and Locomotion""; ""1.1 Introduction""; ""1.2 Posture Control on Earth""; ""1.3 Short-Term Adaptation of Posture Control to Altered Gravity""; ""1.3.1 Gravity-Dependency of the Sensory System""; ""1.3.2 Motor Control of Upright Posture in Hypogravity""; ""1.3.2.1 Kinematic Chain and Muscular Joint Stiffening""; ""1.3.2.2 Forward Body Projection and Muscle Flexor Activation""; ""1.3.2.3 Balance Strategy in Hypogravity""; ""1.3.2.4 Modulation of Postural Reflexes""; ""1.4 Posture Control After Long-Term Space Flight""

""1.4.1 Sensory Adaptations Due to Long-Term Space Flight""""1.4.2 Motor Control of Upright Posture After Space Missions""; ""1.4.2.1 Shift to Long-Latency Postural Reflexes and Increased Fall Risk""; ""1.4.2.2 Changes in Balance Strategy""; ""1.4.2.3 Flexor Activation and Antagonistic Muscle Coordination""; ""1.4.2.4 Recovery After Space Missions""; ""1.5 Locomotor Determinants on Earth""; ""1.6 Acute Adaptations of Bipedalism in Response to Gravitational Changes""; ""1.6.1 Acute Adaptations of the Sensory System""; ""1.6.2 Motor Control of Locomotion in Hypogravity""

""1.6.2.1 Biomechanics of the Locomotor Pattern in Hypogravity""""1.6.2.2 Gravity-Induced Changes in Motor Control""; ""1.6.2.3 Advantageous Locomotor Techniques in Hypogravity""; ""1.6.2.4 The Role of the Stretch-Shortening Cycle in Reduced Gravity""; ""1.6.2.5 Gravity Prediction and Neuromuscular Control of the Stretch-Shortening Cycle in Reduced Gravity""; ""1.7 Locomotion After Long-Term Space Flight""; ""1.7.1 Sensory Adaptation After Space Mission""; ""1.7.2 Motor Control of Locomotion After Space Mission""; ""1.7.2.1 Biomechanics of the Gait Pattern After Space Flight""

""1.7.2.2 The Leg Segments: Gait Deficits and Motor Coordination""""1.7.2.3 Muscle Synergies and Antagonistic Coordination""; ""1.7.2.4 The Upper Segment: Trunk Movement, Head Motion and Gaze""; ""1.7.2.5 Sensorimotor Recovery of Locomotor Skills After Earth Return""; ""1.8 Earth Benefit of Space Research""; ""1.9 Conclusion and Outlook""; ""References""; ""Chapter 2: Spatially Oriented Behaviour""; ""2.1 Introduction""; ""2.2 Spatial Perception in Weightlessness (Fig. 2.1)""; ""2.3 Spatial Object Manipulation in Weightlessness (Fig. 2.2)""; ""2.4 Spatial Navigation in Weightlessness""

""2.5 Preflight Training of Spatially Oriented Behaviour""""2.6 Applications for Life on Earth""; ""References""; ""Chapter 3: Cognitive and Psychomotor Performance""; ""3.1 Introduction""; ""3.2 Stressors in Space""; ""3.3 Impact of Space Flight-Related Stressors on Cognitive and Psychomotor Performance""; ""3.3.1 Basic Cognitive Functions""; ""3.3.2 Spatial Cognition""; ""3.3.3 Psychomotor Functions""; ""3.3.4 Executive Functions""; ""3.4 Summary and Conclusions""; ""References""; ""Chapter 4: Impact of Micro- and Hypergravity on Neurovestibular Issues of Fish""; ""4.1 Introduction""

This volume of the series SpringerBriefs in Space Life Sciences describes findings from space and accompanying ground research related to spatial orientation, posture and locomotion, cognition and psychomotor function. The results are not only of importance to health and performance of astronauts during their space mission, but also impact people on Earth, especially in the ageing societies of the Western countries. The space environment produces mismatches between sensory inputs from canal and otolith afferents which are difficult to study in humans, and are therefore studied in the fish model. Brain and vestibular organ of fish are analyzed under altered gravitational conditions; particularly weightlessness and structural failures as well as malfunctions in different inner ear components are investigated and discussed. The book is aiming at students, engineers and scientists in space and aging research, as well as psychology, neurosciences and sensory motor research.