Abstract
Targeted temperature management (TTM) is standard of care for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Prevention of fever, not excluding cooling core body temperature to 33°C, is standard of care for brain injury post cardiac arrest. Although TTM is beneficial, HIE and cardiac arrest still carry significant risk of death and severe disability. Mammalian hibernation is a gold standard of neuroprotective metabolic suppression, that if better understood might make TTM more accessible, improve efficacy of TTM and identify adjunctive therapies to protect and regenerate neurons after hypoxic ischemia brain injury. Hibernating species tolerate cerebral ischemia/reperfusion better than humans and better than other models of cerebral ischemia tolerance. Such tolerance limits risk of transitions into and out of hibernation torpor and suggests that a barrier to translate hibernation torpor may be human vulnerability to these transitions. At the same time, understanding how hibernating mammals protect their brains is an opportunity to identify adjunctive therapies for TTM. Here we summarize what is known about the hemodynamics of hibernation and how the hibernating brain resists injury to identify opportunities to translate these mechanisms for neurocritical care.
1. Introduction
Cooling core body temperature (Tc) and hence brain temperature, termed targeted temperature management (TTM), remains standard of care for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). For out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) current guidelines recommend prevention of fever, not excluding cooling to 33°C. A focus on fever management vs. cooling stems from a challenge to demonstrate efficacy in large clinical trials (). The struggle to demonstrate broad clinical efficacy of lowering Tc may be due to potential complications associated with shivering, disturbed hemodynamics, dysrhythmias and electrolyte disorders, particularly during the process of rewarming (–). Based on the magnitude of neuroprotection, metabolic suppression, lowered brain temperature and immune suppression, hibernation is a gold standard of neuroprotective adaptations (–).
1.1. Hibernation highlights the benefit of suppressing metabolism with a secondary fall in body temperature
Hibernation is an animal adaptation of energy conservation where a decrease in energy consumption precedes a fall in body temperature. For small (e.g., 0.3–1 kg) mammalian hibernators, evidence suggests that suppression of thermogenesis is sufficient to account for the initial fall in metabolic rate. A consequent decline in core body temperature suppresses metabolic rate further through thermodynamic influence on metabolic processes () as animals enter torpor, which we refer to here as hibernation torpor. The focus on suppressing thermogenesis to lower metabolic rate and produce a subsequent decrease in Tc distinguishes hibernation torpor from current TTM protocols to lower Tc or to prevent fever. If the physiology and neuroscience of hibernation was better understood, it could guide improved therapeutic strategies for TTM. Toward that end, research has revealed circuits to mimic fasting induced torpor in mice (, ). We have also found a necessary and sufficient role of central nervous system active, A1 adenosine receptor agonists to block thermogenesis and induce hibernation in ground squirrels (). This mechanism, described as thermoregulatory inversion (), can be mimicked in rats (–) and has inspired a new class of thermolytics designed to suppress thermogenesis within CNS thermoregulatory circuits (). One example is a formulation of a centrally acting adenosine receptor agonist and a peripherally acting adenosine receptor antagonist (, ). This formulation is designed to target CNS A1 adenosine receptors to mimic natural hibernation with systemic drug administration (, ).
1.2. Hibernation illustrates integration of autonomic, thermoregulatory and metabolic processes
While new insights refine methods to suppress metabolism and lower body temperature, hibernation can also teach us about the integration of autonomic, thermoregulatory and metabolic processes needed to ensure that oxygen/nutrient supplies match the dramatic changes in metabolic load demonstrated in hibernation. Like with TTM, rewarming from hibernation may pose the greatest physiological challenge. One challenge is to match blood flow to metabolic load where metabolic rate increases from <2 percent of basal metabolic rate (BMR) during hibernation torpor to 300 percent of basal metabolic rate during the process of rewarming. Cellular adaptations underlying resistance to ischemia/reperfusion injury may have evolved as a necessary adaptation of heterothermy, to protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury during rewarming (, –). Indeed, the arctic ground squirrel (AGS) is known to resist ischemia/reperfusion injury in brain and other tissues (, –). Similarly, tightly regulated, and poorly understood, hemodynamics that guard against a mismatch between blood supply and demand may also have evolved to protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury during rewarming. Here we review what is known about hemodynamics and neuroprotection in hibernation and arousal from hibernation torpor and discuss what this can teach us about hemodynamic risk that will need to be mitigated for successful translation of synthetic torpor as a means to optimize the benefit of lowered Tc in humans.
2. Hemodynamics of hibernation
Hibernation torpor in AGS occurs during the winter season and consists of prolonged bouts of torpor lasting up to 3 weeks. These torpor bouts are interrupted by 12–24 h of interbout euthermia (Figure 1). Depending on ambient temperature during hibernation torpor body temperature may decrease to near or below 0°C, while the rate of oxygen consumption falls to 2% of BMR (, ). Hibernating hamsters show similar phenomena, but to slightly less extremes ().
Figure 1
2.1. Heart rate declines with whole animal metabolic rate
Entrance into hibernation torpor is driven by metabolic suppression. Heart rate (HR) declines in synch with the decrease in metabolic rate to such a degree that HR is considered a proxy of metabolic rate (
2.2. Blood pressure closely tracks metabolic load
As HR decreases during entrance into hibernation torpor so does blood pressure. A detailed study in hibernating hamsters illustrates that during entrance into hibernation torpor, systolic blood pressure (SBP) declines, presumably secondary to HR. However, while HR remains low and stable at <10% of euthermic HR throughout hibernation torpor, SBP increases to a new plateau at about 50% of euthermic SBP (Figure 2).
Figure 2

After entrance into hibernation torpor in Syrian hamsters, systolic blood pressure (SBP) increases to a new plateau at about 50% of euthermic systolic blood pressure (SBP). By contrast, heart rate (HR) remains at a steady minimum throughout the torpor bout. SBP and HR were measured in unanesthetized animals by telemetry with the catheter of a pressure transmitter inserted into the abdominal aorta [Horwitz et al. (
During the early phase of arousal, blood pressure (BP) increases faster than HR, and during the late phase of arousal, HR increases significantly while BP stays at the highest level (Figure 3). BP shows a hysteresis relative to Tc that, except for a pronounced overshoot at the peak of arousal, resembles the hysteresis seen for HR and metabolic rate (
Figure 3

Open loops in hysteresis plots shown for SBP, HR and baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) illustrate that cardiovascular control operates in fundamentally different ways during entrance and arousal. Importantly, the hysteresis between HR and SBP (A) illustrates that BP increases prior to HR during arousal and declines at the same rate as HR during entrance. During arousal, SBP (B) and HR (C) both increase to near maximal levels before BRS begins to increase [Horwitz et al. (
2.3. Hibernation emphasizes the benefit of regulating blood pressure to meet metabolic load
Hibernation supports the idea that perfusion pressure must be optimized during TTM to meet metabolic load. During onset of hibernation torpor, BP decreases at the same rate as HR to match oxygen supply with oxygen demand. By contrast, at the onset of arousal, a steep increase in BP precedes an increase in HR. After BP reaches a maximum, HR continues to increase. The temporal relationship between HR and BP suggests that oxygen supply is increased in preparation for the increase in oxygen demand during rewarming and subsequent warm body temperature. This preemptive increase in oxygen supply is expected to contribute to successful rewarming. In humans, it may be beneficial to increase perfusion pressure before rewarming. In hibernation, the dramatic and rapid increase in BP that occurs before an increase in metabolic rate (inferred by an increase in HR), and before an increase in Tc (
2.4. Dynamic modulation of baroreceptor sensitivity and vasoconstriction during hibernation optimizes perfusion pressure
Typically, as blood pressure declines, the baroreflex produces an increase in HR. Baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) quantifies how much control the baroreflex has on the HR. Remarkably, BRS remains high during initial entrance into hibernation torpor, although HR continues to decrease despite a pronounced decrease in SBP. This temporal relationship suggests that BRS sensitivity is important during entrance into hibernation torpor. Moreover, it shows that the baroreflex is dynamically and effectively altering HR to ensure that BP tracks a declining set point during torpor entrance. More research is needed to define mechanisms that regulate the declining set point to understand how regulation could be optimized during TTM.
BRS reaches a minimum at Tc of about 20°C and remains low throughout torpor and early arousal (Figure 4). Although a gradual increase in HR is the first sign of arousal, a rapid increase in SBP precedes the subsequent, rapid rise in HR and overshoots SBP measured during euthermia. Minimal BRS at the onset of arousal may allow for the rapid rise in BP and HR that are needed to support the metabolic demands of heart and brain as animals rewarm from hibernation torpor.
Figure 4

A gradual increase in HR is the first sign of arousal although a rapid increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) precedes the subsequent, rapid rise in HR. Maximal SBP during arousal overshoots SBP measured during euthermia. Minimal baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) at the onset of arousal may allow for the rapid rise in SBP and HR that are needed to support the metabolic demands of heart and brain as animals rewarm from hibernation torpor seen as a change in core body temperature (Tc) [Horwitz et al. (
BP dynamics can also be explained in part by an increase in vasoconstriction and peripheral resistance throughout the hibernation season and during onset of arousal (
2.5. Adaptations in hibernating species can guide the management of rewarming from TTM
What do these hemodynamic qualities mean for the brain and brain blood flow? During hibernation torpor cerebral blood flow, measured by quantitative autoradiography in 13 lined ground squirrels, falls from euthermic levels of 62 ± 18 mL 100 g−1 min−1 to an ischemic-like level of 7 ± 4 mL 100 g−1min−1 (
3. Neuroprotection in hibernating species
Unique to hibernating species is an unprecedented resistance to cerebral ischemic/reperfusion injury, most likely necessary to tolerate interbout arousals illustrated in Figure 1. The innate neuroprotective phenotype of hibernating species must be appreciated to translate synthetic torpor to humans. While the essential biochemical or physiological processes filled by arousal episodes remain unknown, the significant energy reserves consumed by arousal (
3.1. Despite optimized regulation of blood pressure, the brain of hibernating species resists ischemia reperfusion injury
The energy demanding process of interbout arousals puts animals at risk for ischemia/reperfusion if blood flow is not matched precisely with rising metabolic load as metabolic rate increases from two percent of BMR to over 300 percent of BMR within a few hours (
Figure 5

Use of a novel miniaturized near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device for quantifying Hb and HbO2 in small animals shows that HbO2 decreases during arousal from hibernation in hind leg (A) and brain (B) tissue. Hibernating AGS fit with sensors on the head and leg were placed in a metabolic cage at 0 min. Handling-induced arousal produced tissue hypoxia in both tissues. Rate of O2 consumption increased from 0.06 mLg−1h−1 at 0 min to a maximum of 3.1 mLg−1h−1 between 131 and 231 min. Data shown are mean ± SEM (A, B) and median with Q2 and Q3 defined by box and range shown as whiskers (C) (n = 8; 4M, 4F AGS, 10–11 months old).
Figure 6

Oxygen concentration in AGS brain tissue does not decrease during arousal, despite a decrease in oxyhemoglobin. Data shown are representative graphs from a single AGS collected during an induced arousal from hibernation torpor at an ambient temperature of 2°C. First and second dashed line from left shows the time when arousal and euthermia started. (A) Changes in brain temperature during arousal. (B) Changes in PtO2 without temperature correction (P O2, meas). (C) Changes in calculated PtO2 with temperature correction (P O2, Cal). (D) Changes in the rate of oxygen consumption (VO2) measured by open flow respirometry [Ma and Wu (
3.2. An oxygen carrying molecule such as neuroglobin may add additional protection from a mismatch between perfusion pressure and metabolic load in hibernating species
Neuroglobin is a heme containing protein expressed in neurons. Preliminary data show that neuroglobin in brains of AGS is significantly higher than in rat brain (Figure 7). Neuroglobin is a member of the vertebrate globin family. Neuroglobin is best known for detoxifying NO and other reactive nitrogen species such as peroxinitrite (
Figure 7

Western blots show higher expression of the 17kD neuroglobin monomer in cortex of AGS compared to cerebral ischemia sensitive rat and in cortex of euthermic AGS in winter compared to euthermic AGS in summer; 100 μg of protein was resolved on 10% SDS-PAGE and membranes were incubated with anti-Ngb (Ngb PolyAntibody (FL-151), 1:200, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, sc-30144) overnight followed by incubation with HRP-conjugated secondary antibody (Gt anti-rabbit IgG, 1:5,000, Santa Cruz Biotechnology). Optical density was normalized to actin. Rats were male, 3–4 months. AGS were male and female, adult (>1 year of age). *P < 0.0003, t-test, n = 6 AGS vs rat; *p < 0.0045, t-test, n = 4 summer vs. winter euthermic AGS [adapted from Bhowmick (
3.3. Further neuroprotective measures protect the brain from potential mismatch between perfusion pressure and metabolic load
While the extent of or protection from cerebral hypoxia during arousal remains an area for further study, hemodynamic and neuroprotective measures appear to be optimized to minimize risk of ischemia/reperfusion injury when, during rewarming from hibernation torpor, cerebral blood flow returns from ischemic-like levels with an overshoot of SBP. The homeostatic challenges of interbout arousal may explain why ground squirrels have evolved to resist injury from ischemia reperfusion noted for several species and tissues (
Even when not hibernating, AGS survive cardiac arrest with complete cessation of blood flow to the brain without evidence of neuropathology (
Figure 8 illustrates results from in vitro studies in acute AGS hippocampal slices. Using a novel microperfusion technique, we found that the innate neuroprotection of AGS persists at temperatures near 37°C regardless of hibernation season or state (
Figure 8

AGS brain tolerates OGD better than rat regardless of hibernation state or season. Cell death was measured from LDH released into the perfusion fluid in acute hippocampal slices from rat and euthermic AGS during the summer season (seAGS), during hibernation torpor (hAGS) and during early arousal (4 h ibeAGS) and late arousal (20 h ibeAGS), 4 and 20 h after initial handling to induce arousal. (A) LDH in perfusates increased in rat hippocampal slices exposed to OGD (rat, OGD), but not in rat slices exposed to artificial cerebral spinal fluid (aCSF) (rat, aCSF), nor in slices harvested from summer euthermic AGS and exposed to aCSF (seAGS, aCSF). A small amount of cell death is noted in slices collected from seAGS and exposed to OGD (seAGS, OGD). *p < 0.05 rat aCSF vs. rat OGD, +p < 0.05 rat OGD vs. seAGS OGD, #p < 0.05 seAGS aCSF vs. seAGS OGD. (B) As a positive control TritonX increased LDH release in seAGS slices (*p < 0.05 0.1% TritonX vs. aCSF). (C) AGS hippocampal slices are most vulnerable to OGD when collected from AGS 20 h into an interbout arousal (20 h ibeAGS). Insert shows the sum of LDH in perfusates collected 15–210 min from onset of OGD. *p < 0.05 seAGS vs. 20 h ibeAGS, +p < 0.05 4 h ibeAGS vs. 20 h ibeAGS, #p < 0.05 hAGS vs. 20 h ibeAGS, t-test with Bonferroni correction. (D) Exposure of slices from the same groups of animals as in (C) to aCSF has no effect on LDH release. Gray bar indicates 30 min treatment period. Data shown are means ± SEM, n = 4 slices in B, 25–30 slices per treatment in (A, C, D). The novel microperfusion method, an improvement over previous use of propidium iodide as an indicator of cell death, replicated results obtained with propidium iodide [Bhowmick et al. (
3.4. Neuroprotective adaptations may be complimented by regenerative processes stimulated by mild ischemia/reperfusion
Other data suggests that enhanced capacity for neural progenitor survival and proliferation contributes to neuroprotection in AGS. Oxygen glucose deprivation or hypoxia alone, promote proliferation of AGS neural progenitor cells isolated from AGS hippocampus (
Observations in vivo complement evidence in vitro that arousal from hibernation promotes regenerative processes. Seasonal hibernators do not suffer cognitive deficits after interbout arousal. Although some forms of learning acquired prior to the onset of the hibernation season are compromised after final arousal in spring (
3.5. Hibernation argues for complementary neuroprotective and regenerative adjunctive therapies to enhance the efficacy of targeted temperature management
HIE treated with TTM of 33°C still leads to severe complications with 48 percent of cases ending in death or moderate to severe disability (
Statements
Author contributions
All authors listed have made a substantial, direct, and intellectual contribution to the work and approved it for publication.
Funding
Research reported in this publication is based in part upon work supported by the Alaska NASA EPSCoR Program (NNX13AB28A) and by the National Institutes of Health under award numbers P20GM130443, 1R43NS100174, P20GM103395, and TL1 TR002318.
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge Russell Mitchell for graphical design.
Conflict of interest
KD has a financial interest in Be Cool Pharmaceutics. KD and BL hold intellectual property for technology related to synthetic torpor. ZB has a financial interest in Barati Medical. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Author disclaimer
The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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Summary
Keywords
torpor, TTM, therapeutic hypothermia, ground squirrel, cerebral ischemia, ischemia/reperfusion, NIRS, neurocritical care
Citation
Drew KL, Bhowmick S, Laughlin BW, Goropashnaya AV, Tøien Ø, Sugiura MH, Wong A, Pourrezaei K, Barati Z and Chen C-Y (2023) Opportunities and barriers to translating the hibernation phenotype for neurocritical care. Front. Neurol. 14:1009718. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1009718
Received
02 August 2022
Accepted
11 January 2023
Published
27 January 2023
Volume
14 - 2023
Edited by
Jae H. Choi, Neurovascular Center, United States
Reviewed by
Thomas Ragnar Wood, School of Medicine, University of Washington, United States; Ami P. Raval, University of Miami, United States
Updates

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Copyright
© 2023 Drew, Bhowmick, Laughlin, Goropashnaya, Tøien, Sugiura, Wong, Pourrezaei, Barati and Chen.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Kelly L. Drew ✉ kdrew@alaska.edu
†Present address: Saurav Bhowmick, PTC Therapeutics Inc., South Plainfield, NJ, United States
This article was submitted to Endovascular and Interventional Neurology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Neurology
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