The Aerospace Physiology Laboratory conducts research related to human physiological responses and adaptations to Terrestrial and Space environments. The Director, Dr. Blaber, has a special interest in modeling cerebral blood flow regulation under various environmental conditions. Located in the Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University the laboratory has cardi
ovascular, respiratory, blood flow, tilt table and exercise testing capabilities, with access to climatic, dive and altitude chambers. The lab has the capability to measure continuous non-invasive heart rate, arterial blood pressure, blood flow (Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound for cerebral and other arterial blood vessels) and breath-by-breath respiratory gas exchange. Recently we conducted experiments to test the relationship between cerebral blood flow regulation and fainting in the elderly; the effect of altitude on orthostatic intolerance; and the effects of chronic exposure to high levels of carbon dioxide (Space Station simulation) cerebral autoregulation and orthostatic tolerance. Presently we are conducting experiments to investigate: physiological responses and adaptations to altitude; cerebral blood flow during exercise at various altitudes; effects of long duration space flight on cardiovascular reflexes; and, the relationship of cardiovascular and postural controls with aging and with concussion.
