Serum microRNA expression prior to motion sickness stimulus

Motion Sickness increases risk of performance deficits and safety of flight concerns. The etiology of motion sickness is poorly understood. Here, we attempted to quantify the physiological effects of motion sickness on static balance and determine the genetic predictors associated with these effects. 16 subjects underwent a disorientation stimulus to induce motion sickness. Motion sickness susceptibility was identified empirically. Postural balance outcomes were measured using two tasks, and small ribonucleic acid profiles were assessed with blood draws before motion sickness stimulus (in 15 subjects). Differences in postural sway before and after the stimulus as well as effect modification of susceptibility were assessed. A random forest followed by regression tree analysis was constructed for each postural sway variable to determine top genetic and covariate predictors.