What are the potential benefits of hypothermia?
The exact mechanisms of the benefits of hypothermia on the brain are not fully understood. In simple terms, cooling has long been known to help protect the brain by slowing metabolism, thus reducing the brain’s need for oxygen and nutrients. However it is believed that there are many other favorable chemical and physical mechanisms that occur in the brain as a result of hypothermia. One of the major reasons brain cells become damaged is thought to be due to calcium entry into the cells. Hypothermia decreases the entry of calcium into the cells.
