What if humans could hibernate? Scientists may have identified the neurons that make it possible
- Mammals hibernate by lowering their body temperature to dramatically slow their metabolisms and conserve energy often in winter months when there is a scarcity of food
- Potential clinical applications include the reduction of tissue damage following heart attacks or strokes, and the preservation of organs for transplants
Could humans eventually be induced to hibernate to protect them after an injury or preserve them during deep space travel?
The idea is a staple of science fiction, but studies published on Thursday build on a growing field of research that experts say is “revolutionising” our understanding of how the brain regulates body heat.
Mammals hibernate by lowering their body temperature to dramatically slow their metabolisms and conserve energy often in winter months when there is a scarcity of food. Previous research has indicated that the central nervous system is involved in thermoregulation – also increasing temperature in the form of infection-fighting fevers. But the precise mechanisms involved have been unclear.
In one study published in Nature, researchers from the University of Tsukuba in Japan identified neurons in the brains of rodents that can be artificially activated to send the animals into a hibernation-like state.
The scientists initially looked at mice, which do not hibernate but go into a similar often short-term state called torpor. They genetically modified mice in which they could activate a set of neurons in the hypothalamus – named Q neurons – using chemicals or light.
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It’s not easy for a black bear to wake up from hibernation
The mice became less active, their body temperature fell 10 degrees or more to below 30 degrees Celsius, their pulse slowed considerably, their metabolic rate reduced, and their breathing became shallow.
