Drug-Induced Hypothermia in Stroke: Current Status and New Therapeutic Approaches

In the last several years, mild hypothermia (>34°C) appeared as one of the most promising neuroprotective strategies. Unfortunately, drugs with an acceptable safety profile and capable of inducing rapid brain cooling are lacking. In this regard, there is great interest in developing innovative hypothermic approaches applicable not only to stroke patients but also to those undergoing cardiac arrest or to hypoxic neonates. New hypothermic compounds such as thyroxine and neurotensin derivatives as well as agonists of the transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV)-1 and the adenosine A1 receptors have been recently identified as potential ischemic neuroprotectants. In the near future, therefore, pharmacological hypothermia is likely to become a realistic new avenue of neuroprotection.