Often depicted in sci-fi films, astronauts encounter challenges with space debris, killer asteroids, thruster malfunctions or even a hostile and advanced alien race however, scientists claim that the real danger in outer space for space explorers are apparently, galactic cosmic rays.

Researchers revealed on Friday that exposure to these harmful rays especially during long term can cause cognitive impairments that can even lead to dementia that can occur during the round trips to Mars which can take at least 2 1/2 years in space.

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During a NASA study, mice were exposed to some highly energized particles that are similar to those found in galactic cosmic rays where the creatures experienced decline in cognition and even significant changes in brain nerve cells and structure including synapses where nerve impulses are transmitted.

The origin of these irradiated particles in the galactic cosmic rays are from star explosion residuum more commonly known as supernovae that can penetrate and be absorbed by the human body. Earth is protected from these harmful rays via its magnetosphere.

According to radiation oncology professor Charles Limoli of the University of California, Irvine that these rays are "without a doubt" can also pose danger to humans as it did with mice. He adds that astronauts can incur cognitive impairments leading to performance confusion and an increase in anxiety and psychological trauma in cognitive health.

With this kind of hazard in astronauts' health, this can ultimately compromise space missions since it can debilitate critical activities when unexpected situations occur in deep spaceflight.

During the mice experiments, scientists genetically altered them with green fluorescent neurons to aid in structural analysis and were then exposed to rays under lab conditions at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory located in the Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York.

Apart from changes in brain neurons and synapses, the mice also manifested decreased performance in learning and memory retention tests where they appeared sluggish and uninterested in the activities presented to them.

Limoli says that astronauts who are bound for the Red Planet cannot fully escape these dangerous rays, where spacecrafts should apply stronger protective shielding against these.

This study is published in the journal, Science Advances. 

TagsNASA, brain damage astronauts cosmic rays radiation, Mars, galactic cosmic rays