Abstract
The regulation of brain temperature is largely dependent on the metabolic activity of brain tissue and remains complex. In intensive care clinical practice, the continuous monitoring of core temperature in patients with brain injury is currently highly recommended. After major brain injury, brain temperature is often higher than and can vary independently of systemic temperature. It has been shown that in cases of brain injury, the brain is extremely sensitive and vulnerable to small variations in temperature. The prevention of fever has been proposed as a therapeutic tool to limit neuronal injury. However, temperature control after traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, or stroke can be challenging. Furthermore, fever may also have beneficial effects, especially in cases involving infections. While therapeutic hypothermia has shown beneficial effects in animal models, its use is still debated in clinical practice. This paper aims to describe the physiology and pathophysiology of changes in brain temperature after brain injury and to study the effects of controlling brain temperature after such injury.
Highlights
Many popular figures of speech connect brain activity with temperature
While brain cell metabolism is a major determinant of brain temperature, minor changes in brain temperature can result in significant changes in neural cell metabolism and in brain function
This paper aims to describe the physiology and pathophysiology associated with changes in brain temperature, with particular focus on acutely ill patients suffering from severe traumatic brain injury, stroke, or subarachnoid hemorrhage
Summary
Many popular figures of speech connect brain activity with temperature. It is well known that, while brain temperature is largely dependent on the metabolic activity of brain tissue, the regulation of these two parameters is complex. Fever is considered a secondary injury to the brain in neurosurgical patients with severe traumatic brain injury [2], subarachnoid hemorrhage [3], or stroke [4], in whom hyperthermia is a frequent phenomenon. In these cases, guided, directed normothermia can be used to limit secondary brain injury. This paper aims to describe the physiology and pathophysiology associated with changes in brain temperature, with particular focus on acutely ill patients suffering from severe traumatic brain injury, stroke, or subarachnoid hemorrhage
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