International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society
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Hypothermia is the most potent neuroprotective therapy available. Clinical use of hypothermia is limited by technology and homeostatic mechanisms that maintain core body temperature. ⋯ We reviewed the preclinical and early clinical trials of hypothermia for a variety of indications, the putative mechanisms for neuroprotection with hypothermia, and offer several hypotheses that remain to be tested in clinical trials. Therapeutic hypothermia is promising, but further Phase 1 and Phase 2 development efforts are needed to ensure that cooling of stroke patients is safe, before definitive efficacy trials.