Cooling core body temperature may slow down neurodegeneration

Reduction of core body temperature has been proposed to contribute to the increased lifespan and the anti-aging effects conferred by caloric restriction in mice and higher primates. Cooler biologically compatible core body temperatures have also been hypothesized to combat neurodegenerative disorders. Yet, validation of these hypotheses has been difficult until recently, when it demonstrated that transgenic mice engineered to have chronic low core body temperature have longer lifespan independent of alteration in diet or caloric restriction. This article reviews the literature and highlights the potential influence of core body temperature's governing role on aging and in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders in humans. What makes recent findings more significant for humans is the existence of several methods to lower and maintain low core body temperatures in human subjects. The therapeutic potential of "cooler people" may also raise the possibility that this could reverse the adverse-health consequences of elevations in core body temperature.