During exploratory class missions outside the protection of the earth's magnetic field astronauts will be exposed to particles of high energy and charge (HZE particles). A consequence of exposure to these particles is the potential disruption of cognitive performance which depends upon the integrity of the CNS. Because cells throughout the body will be impacted by HZE particles it may be important to understand the contribution of non-neuronal cells to the development of a performance decrement. The present review examines the effects of partial body exposures (head-only/body-only) in comparison to whole-body exposures on cognitive performance