Transient hyperthermia protects against subsequent forebrain ischemic cell damage in the rat

We heated Wistar rats (n = 10) to 41.5 +/- 0.2 degrees C for 15 minutes, 24 hours before the induction of forebrain cerebral ischemia. We subjected 23 rats to forebrain ischemia without prior heating. Ischemic cell damage in the medial, lateral, and overall CA 1/2 hippocampus, inferior frontal cortex, and dorsal-lateral striatum was significantly (p less than 0.05) less severe in heated animals than in nonheated animals.