FIG. 2.

Important (classic) mechanisms of neuroprotective hypothermia and potential side effects of total body cooling. Upper-left/white text: a broad group of neuroprotective mechanisms mediate neuroprotection by cooling in the CNS. Bottom-left: the magnitude of induction of different neuroprotective mechanisms depends, in part, on the depth of cooling. Clinically, the temperature ranges are divided into mild, moderate, deep, and profound. Recently, the term UMH was introduced to include therapeutic temperatures ranging above >35°C and below <36°C. Bottom-right: total body cooling is a complex “drug” that affects almost every organ/tissue in the body. Maximizing the clinical benefits of cerebral cooling depends, in part, on monitoring/controlling adverse side effects of hypothermia, germane to functional changes in other organ systems, which may inadvertently pose a risk to patient survival and/or CNS recovery after an injury. UMH, Ultramild Hypothermia.