Neuroprotective effects of mild hyperthermia prior to focal ischemia in conscious rats

Hyperthermia during or after stroke is known to worsen neuronal damage. Par adoxically, when hyperthermia precedes stroke, it can protect against a sub sequent ischemic insult. Other stressors including restraint also have a si milar preconditioning effect. In the present study,we report the unanticipa ted finding that conscious rats, restrained for the purpose of intravenous infusion, had markedly reduced neuronal and functional deficits after middl e cerebral artery occlusion compared with unrestrained rats. Restrained rat s had significantly higher body temperature prior to stroke than unrestrain ed rats. The findings suggest restraint leading to mild hyperthermia may be sufficient to induce adaptive processes which protect against subsequent i schemia. NeuroReport 12:1629-1633 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.