Bones under the microscope: How bed rest changes the structure!

Bones under the microscope: How bed rest changes the structure!

Med Uni Graz is part of a groundbreaking research project coordinated at the European Space Agency (ESA) that is investigating the effects of bed rest on human bone structure. In the so-called bed-rest studies, which take place in Planica, Slovenia, 24 young men are kept bedridden for a period of 90 days. Under the leadership of Ines Fößl, a member of the research team from the Clinical Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology at the Med University of Graz, the scientists are analyzing the changes in the test subjects' bone structure using high-resolution computer tomography. Particular attention is paid to the internal bone structure in order to understand how continuous bed rest influences the remodeling and stability of the bones.

Important insights into skeletal biology

The relevance of this study goes beyond space research and offers valuable insights for the care of long-term bedridden patients, for example in intensive care units. The bones not only function as load-bearing structures of the body, but are also dynamic tissues that adapt through continuous remodeling mechanisms. Remodeling is crucial for healing injuries and adapting to mechanical stress. How studysmarter.de explains, this change occurs through a complex interaction of cells, including osteoblasts, osteocytes and osteoclasts, which are responsible for bone formation, maintenance and resorption.

The study participants are only allowed to be active to a limited extent during the project and must lie down most of the time. Some are allowed to do daily lying exercises to counteract physical deterioration. With the findings of this study, the researchers hope not only to make progress in space research, but also to provide important information on how to improve care practices for patients who are bedridden for long periods of time for health reasons. This integrated approach to skeletal biology could have implications for the treatment of osteoporosis and other bone diseases while deepening our understanding of the evolution of the human skeleton.