Doctors Turn To Squirrels

The Sun Herald

Sunday February 14, 1993

RESEARCHERS are studying squirrels and their reduced blood flow during hibernation to find ways to prevent brain damage in stroke victims.

This novel approach may help researchers discover new methods of stroke therapy, said Kai Frerich of the National Institute of Neural Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland, US.

In a stroke, brain cells are deprived of blood and die because of lack of oxygen and glucose.

Researchers have found that blood flow levels in hibernating squirrels dropped below levels that would cause brain damage in humans, yet when the squirrels awoke, they were healthy.

"We hope to identify factors which regulate hibernation," Frerich said. "These may be hormone-type substances or other types of things which have effects on metabolism."