Mechanisms of low-temperature rehabilitation technologies. Natural and artificial hypothermia

Abstract

The literature review covers an analysis of the typical protective and adaptive reaction mechanisms that develop in small rodents that spontaneously hibernate under the cold snap, together with warm-blooded animals and humans during circadian fall of the body temperature at night time and in a course of a slow-wave sleep, along with induced artificial therapeutic hypothermia. The general features of neuroprotection states development in natural endogenous and induced hypothermia are highlighted, which include metabolic, epigenetic and biophysical reactions that ensure the formation of nonspecific tolerance of the brain to potentially damaging effects. Significant attention has been devoted to the participation of hibernation proteins, opioids and antioxidant systems in the processes of safe exit from state of torpor in animals and in implementation of sleep restoration functions. Taking into account the circadian nature formation of endogenous brains hypothermia at night and in the phases of slow sleep, it is suggested that periodic temperature exposure on the cerebral cortex can be applied in order to restore the disturbed circadian rhythms. From the standpoint of common mechanisms of endogenous and induced hypothermia, selective hypothermia of the cerebral cortex can be considered as a nature-like technology. Based on the extensive experimental material indicating a significant neuroprotective potentials of low temperatures during hibernation, diurnal hypothermia as well as artificially induced hypothermia, it was stated that implementation of the technology for selective hypothermia of the cerebral cortex in order to prevent the negative consequences of cerebral catastrophes are a perspective trend.