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The Effects Of Acute Hyperthermia On The Neurovascular Unit, Brooke Renee Shepley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With growing use for hyperthermia as a cardiovascular therapeutic, there is surprisingly little information regarding the acute effects it may have on the integrity of the neurovascular unit (NVU). Indeed, relying on animal data would suggest hyperthermia comparable to levels attained in thermal therapy will disrupt the blood- brain barrier (BBB) and damage the cerebral parenchymal cells. We sought to address the hypothesis that controlled passive hyperthermia is not sufficient to damage the NVU in healthy adults. Eleven young men (age 23 ± 3 years) underwent acute passive heating until +2°C or absolute esophageal temperature of 39.5°C. The presence of …