Effect of brain, body, and magnet bore temperatures on energy metabolism during global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion monitored by magnetic resonance spectroscopy in rats

To record brain temperature for comparison with rectal and temporalis muscle temperatures in preliminary studies before MR spectroscopy experiments, a thermistor was inserted into the basal ganglia in eight anesthetized, ventilated, and physiologically monitored rats. The rats were placed in an MR spectrometer and subjected to 60 min of global cerebral ischemia and 2 h of reperfusion without radiofrequency (RF) pulsing. Body temperature was maintained at 37.5-38.0°C (normothermia) or 36.5-37.0°C (mild hypothermia). Brain temperature during ischemia, which dropped to 31.9 ± 0.3 (hypothermia) and 33.6 ± 0.5°C (normothermia), correlated with temporalis muscle temperature (r² = 0.92) but not with body or magnet bore temperature measurements. Ischemia reduced brain temperature approximately 1.7°C in rats subjected to mild hypothermia (1°reduction of body temperature). Parallel MR spectroscopy experiments showed no significant difference in energy metabolites between normothermic and hypothermic rats during ischemia. However, the metabolic recovery was more extensive 20-60 min after the onset of reperfusion in hypothermic rats, although not thereafter (P < 0.05). Mild hypothermia speeds metabolic recovery temporarily during reperfusion but does not retard energy failure during global ischemia in rats.