The European Space Agency reported on October 30, 2026, that astronaut Sophie Adenot had completed three post-flight MRI sessions within two weeks of returning from a 237-day mission. The scans took place at DLR’s :envihab facility in Cologne as part of Brain-DTI, a project studying how the brain adapts to microgravity and readapts after a spaceflight. ESA’s report also said a further scan was planned for six months after her return.
ESA reports three post-flight MRI sessions
The sessions gave researchers several post-flight time points to study how readaptation unfolds. ESA says those measurements can help reveal whether the process follows a linear, exponential or more complex course. The planned six-month scan would add a later point of comparison.
NeoTeo previously covered Crew-12’s return after a 237-day mission, the mission context for Adenot’s post-flight scans.
What Brain-DTI measures
Brain-DTI combines imaging methods that examine different aspects of the brain. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) tracks water movement through brain tissue to map neural pathways and examine white matter. Resting-state functional MRI uses the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal to assess communication between brain regions. Anatomical MRI sequences examine brain position within the skull, changes in the brain’s ventricles and the distribution of cerebrospinal fluid.
| Imaging method | What it examines |
| Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) | Water movement through brain tissue, neural pathways and white matter |
| Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) | Communication between brain regions, using the BOLD signal |
| Anatomical MRI sequences | Brain position within the skull, ventricular changes and cerebrospinal-fluid distribution |
Researchers compare scans with astronauts’ experiences and symptoms to investigate biological markers of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt. Brain-DTI also examines fluid redistribution in connection with Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). ESA describes a possible relationship between increased pressure in fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord and flattening of the eyeball.
A long-running study with possible applications on Earth
ESA says Brain-DTI began collecting scans in 2013. Principal investigator Floris Wuyts estimates that the project has collected MRI scans from around 50 astronauts and cosmonauts. ESA also reports that the entire Crew-12 team and the entire Expedition 75 crew took part.
The study’s methods may also inform research beyond spaceflight. Axiom Space describes Brain-DTI as an ongoing, ESA-sponsored project seeking biomarkers of sensorimotor adaptation. It says those biomarkers could potentially help inform interventions after injury or stroke, an application the company presents as a possibility. Axiom Space’s project description
