PARADOXICAL EFFECT OF HYPOTHERMIA ON SURVIVAL OF LESIONED AND UNINJURED MAMMALIAN SPINAL NEURONS

Survival of cultured spinal neurons 2 h after dendrotomy increased significantly when the temperature was reduced 17 °C or 17 °C. Survival of lesioned neurons maintained at 17 °C for 2 h and then at 37 °C for 22 h was still significantly higher than survival of neurons maintained at 37 °C for 24 h. Below 17 °C both lesioned and uninjured neurons swelled. Upon rewarming to 37 °C, many swollen neurons died. Ketamine prevented hypothermic swelling and neuronal death. © 1990.