The Neuroprotective Effect of Therapeutic Hypothermia in Cognitive Impairment of an Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury Mouse Model

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) shows promise as an approach with neuroprotective effects, capable of reducing secondary brain damage and intracranial pressure following successful mechanical thrombectomy in the acute phase. However, its effect on cognitive impairment remains unclear. This study investigated whether TH can improve cognitive impairment in a mouse model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by reperfusion (tMCAO/R).

Materials and Methods: Nine-week-old C57BL/6N mice (male) were randomly assigned to three groups: sham, tMCAO/R, and tMCAO/R with TH. Cognitive function was assessed 1 month after model induction using the Y-maze test, and regional cerebral glucose metabolism was measured through positron emission tomography with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose.

Results: tMCAO/R induced cognitive impairment, which showed improvement with TH. The TH group exhibited a significant recovery in cerebral glucose metabolism in the thalamus compared to the tMCAO/R group.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that TH may hold promise as a therapeutic strategy for alleviating ischemia/reperfusion-induced cognitive impairment.