Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Short-Duration Hypothermia Induction in Rats using Models for Studies examining Clinical Relevance and Mechanisms
05:00

Short-Duration Hypothermia Induction in Rats using Models for Studies examining Clinical Relevance and Mechanisms

Published on: March 3, 2021

Neuroprotection and hypothermia in infants and children

Domenico Pietrini1, Marco Piastra, Ersilia Luca

  • 1Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital “A.Gemelli”, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. d.pietrini@rm.unicatt.it

Current Drug Targets
|April 20, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) effectively treats brain injuries in children, including after cardiac arrest, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and traumatic brain injury. It reduces harmful processes like inflammation and excitotoxicity, offering a vital treatment option.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatric Critical Care
  • Neuroprotection

Background:

  • Brain injury is a leading cause of death in pediatric intensive care units.
  • Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is established for specific pediatric neurological emergencies.
  • Emerging evidence suggests broader applications for TH in critical care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current literature on the use of therapeutic hypothermia in pediatric critical care.
  • To highlight the neuroprotective mechanisms of TH in various brain injury models.
  • To discuss the potential of TH as an adjunctive therapy for refractory neurological conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on therapeutic hypothermia in pediatric populations.
  • Analysis of clinical evidence for TH in cardiac arrest, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and traumatic brain injury.
  • Examination of preclinical data on TH's impact on neuroinflammatory and apoptotic pathways.

Main Results:

  • TH is beneficial for unconscious patients post-cardiac arrest with ventricular fibrillation.
  • TH has demonstrated efficacy in term neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
  • TH shows promise in children with traumatic brain injury and superrefractory status epilepticus.

Conclusions:

  • Therapeutic hypothermia mitigates critical neurodestructive processes following ischemia-reperfusion injury.
  • TH offers a valuable therapeutic option, particularly when conventional treatments for elevated intracranial pressure are insufficient.
  • Further research is warranted to optimize TH protocols and expand its clinical utility in pediatric neurology.

More Related Videos

The Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Model of Perinatal Ischemia08:47

The Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Model of Perinatal Ischemia

Published on: November 19, 2008

Related Concept Videos

Decreased Body Temperature01:29

Decreased Body Temperature

A decreased body temperature can occur in patients with hypothermia and frostbite. Heat loss with extended cold exposure overpowers the body's ability to create heat, resulting in hypothermia. Core temperature readings help classify hypothermia. Mild hypothermia is temperatures between 32 °C (89.6 °F) and 35°C (95 °F) and is caused by impaired thermoregulation. Moderate hypothermia is temperatures between 28 C (82.4 °F) and 32 °C (89.6 °F) caused by sustained extreme cold exposure, and severe...
Methods of reducing fever01:22

Methods of reducing fever

The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
Increased Body Temperature01:25

Increased Body Temperature

A body temperature above  38°C  (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in response to an infection or illness.