Bears have been doing it forever: they lower their body temperatures to survive the winter. Now researchers at the University of Oregon have discovered how to induce hypothermia in a controlled way in humans, too—a breakthrough that could save countless lives.
The Secret of Artificial Hibernation
The key to this discovery lies in a small area of the brain called ventromedial nucleusThe team led by Dr. Domenico Tupone demonstrated that by blocking this area it is possible to induce a state of “thermoregulatory inversion” similar to the natural hibernation of animals.
What I find fascinating is how this discovery has the potential to completely overturn our understanding of thermoregulation. Normally, when it’s cold, our bodies try to produce heat. During TI, the exact opposite happens.
The research, published in the journal Current Biology (I link it to you here), shows how it is possible to “trick” the body into reducing heat production even in cold environments: just like bears do.
Controlled Hypothermia, Revolutionary Applications in Medicine
Controlled hypothermia could become a valuable tool in medical emergencies. As Dr. Tupone explains, the goal is to reduce body temperature to decrease the oxygen demand of tissues, particularly the brain and heart.
What potential could this discovery have for treating strokes and heart attacks? In these situations, every minute without oxygen can be fatal. Controlled hypothermia could give doctors more time to intervene.
The researchers ofOregon Health & Science University They also see applications in surgery, in the treatment of metabolic disorders and even in long-duration space missions.
How Temperature Control Works
The mechanism of controlled hypothermia is surprisingly elegant in its complexity. In normal conditions, when it is cold, our body activates two heating systems: the shivers and the consumption of the brown fat, a tissue specialized for heat production. In hibernating animals, this system is completely reversed.
Tupone's team's discovery shows that they have found the "body thermostat switch": when the ventromedial nucleus area is active, the body responds normally to cold. When it is inhibited, it enters a state similar to hibernation.
The Future of Therapeutic Hypothermia
This research opens up exciting prospects. It is not just a matter of replicating hibernation, but of developing a potentially revolutionary new therapeutic tool.
The next step will be to understand how to translate this discovery into safe and effective treatments for humans. The challenge is complex, but the potential applications are vast: we will keep an eye (it is appropriate to say) on the next phases of this “hot” research!
