Abstract
Author(s): EricA.Lacey,RedmondG.Oâ??Connell,ShaneM.Oâ??Mara,andPaulM.Dockree
MildInducedhypothermiahascometoberecognisedasasuccessfulmethodofprovidingneuro-protectivetreatmentfor patientssuï¬??eringischemicstroke,cardiacarrestandtraumaticbraininjury(TBI).Anti-inï¬??ammatoryresponsesandthelowering of cerebral metabolic rates, leading to a reduction in neuronal apoptosis, are considered to be the main mechanisms by which this process beneï¬�ts patients. Assessment of a new hydro based cooling device, which could potentially be used by emergency serviceunits,providedtheimpetusforthecurrentresearch.Neurologicallynormalparticipantsunderwenttwotreatments:acooling procedurewherethetemperatureofwatercirculatinginacoolinghelmetwasmaintainedat4â????Candanon-cooling/shamprocedure wherethetemperaturewassetat18â????C.Duringtreatmentparticipantswererequiredtoperformacomputer-basedtaskthatmeasured sustained attention/vigilance via participant response times during target detection. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings werealsoacquiredbeforeandaftereachtreatmentcondition.Participants’coretemperature(recordedviatympanicmembrane) was monitored throughout the process. The ï¬�ndings revealed a statistically reliable 0.62â????C decrease in temperature as a result ofcoolingaftercontrollingforparticipants’bodymassindex(BMI).However,therewerenoreliablecognitiveorEEGspectral changesinducedbythedecreaseintemperature.
<Share this article
