Preventing Brain Damage !!

Brain damage that can result from a stroke or heart attack can leave a patient permanently disabled.

Scientist have been grappling with the problem through timely administration of drugs or surgical interventions.

Interestingly it has been discovered that slowly cooling the brain by two to four degrees centigrade (at a rate of one degree per hour) can slow down or possibly prevent the process of brain damage. This is achieved by flow of cold air, use of a cold helmet or administration of a cold spray of perfluorocarbon droplets through the nose.

This process appears to be better than trying to cool the whole body as that can lead to infections and pneumonia.