• Marc A Lazzaro and Shyam Prabhakaran.
• Rush University Medical Center, Department of Neurological Sciences, 1725 W. Harrison Street, Suite 1121, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. mlazzaro2@gmail.com
• Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2008 Aug 1;17(8):1161-74.

BackgroundInduced hypothermia is a promising neuroprotective treatment for acute ischemic stroke. Data from both global and focal ischemia animal models have been encouraging. However, only a few small clinical studies have investigated its use in humans.ObjectiveTo review the background, possible mechanisms of action, and the preclinical and clinical data supporting the neuroprotective role of induced hypothermia following acute ischemic stroke.MethodsA literature search was performed using the PubMed database. Only papers in English were reviewed.Results/ConclusionsInduced hypothermia is effective as a neuroprotectant in animal models of acute ischemic stroke. Its multimodal mechanism of action makes it a very attractive method of neuroprotection. Although human studies suggest it is safe and feasible, larger randomized controlled trials are necessary to address clinical efficacy and to refine the methods and parameters of induced hypothermia protocols.

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