Which set of astronaut functions relies on an intact frontal cortex and hippocampus and may suffer cognitive impairment from radiation?
Answer
Executive functions, including planning, decision-making under pressure, and working memory
Executive functions represent a suite of high-level cognitive abilities crucial for complex operations in spaceflight, encompassing the ability to plan future actions, make rapid and accurate decisions when faced with unexpected variables, and maintain working memory during tasks. These high-level processes are heavily reliant on the structural and functional integrity of specific brain regions, notably the frontal cortex and the hippocampus. Radiation-induced damage that affects these areas directly translates into potential mission-critical deficits in an astronaut's performance during high-stakes scenarios.
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