mars mission paralyzed

Saw in Globe and Mail newspaper,page F3,January 24/04.
mars mission faces a hurdle:astronauts may arrive
paralyzed,by Ian Popple.Dr.Doug Watt,director of
McGill University's Aerospace Medical Research Unit
,has found that weightlessness can reduce muscle contr-
ol,he likens the condition to Lou Gehrig's disease that
attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord caus-
ing paralysis.the research,the first medical experiment
to be done on the International Space Station,examined
spinal cord excitability before and after a mission.
The experiment was the application of a tiny electric
shock behind the knee in order to replicate the less
accurate Hoffman reflex test when the knee of a patient
is tapped with a rubber hammer,the size of the knee
jerk reaction reflects the number of neurons used.The
astronauts reactions decreased by about 30 per cent for
the duration of the mission.Concern has been raised
that this condition might affect astronauts ability to
react quickly or effectively in an emergency during the
long trip to mars and back.Although the condition does
not deteriorate much over time,the duration of
recovery for the astronauts does.(Perhaps artificial
gravity should be simulated in an experimental
habitat before the long term health of people in
Space is jeopardized).Cordilly John hadden,jfhadden@
canada.com