What if humans could, like some animals, lower their body temperature to survive critical situations? A recent discovery paves the way for controlled hypothermia, inspired by natural hibernation.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have identified a brain mechanism capable of altering thermoregulation. This breakthrough could redefine emergency medicine as we know it, by reducing tissue damage during strokes or heart attacks.
The mystery of animal hibernation
Some animals, such as bears or arctic squirrels, can survive extreme conditions by lowering their body temperature. This phenomenon, called torpor, reduces their oxygen needs and slows their metabolism.
Non-hibernating mammals, such as rats or humans, do not possess this natural ability. However, researchers have discovered that the brain could be "reprogrammed" to mimic this state.
A brain switch to control temperature
The research team identified a specific area of the brain, the ventromedial periventricular area (VMPeA), as a key regulator of temperature. By blocking this area in rats, they successfully induced a thermoregulatory inversion.
During this thermoregulatory inversion, exposure to cold no longer triggers heat production but instead reduces it. This discovery could allow for controlled hypothermia in humans.
Promising medical applications
Therapeutic hypothermia is already used to protect tissues during certain surgeries or after cardiac arrest. However, current methods are limited and difficult to control.
Manipulating the VMPeA could offer a more precise alternative. By lowering body temperature in a controlled manner, doctors could prolong the survival of oxygen-deprived tissues.
Towards human hibernation?
While this technique is still experimental, it opens up possibilities. For example, it could be used during long-duration space missions, where oxygen resources are limited.
Domenico Tupone, lead author of the study, emphasizes that this discovery could transform emergency medicine. "We might one day induce a state of low temperature and low metabolism, similar to hibernation, to save lives," he explains.
Article author: Cédric DEPOND