Highlights in basic autonomic neurosciences: Central adenosine A1 receptor - The key to a hypometabolic state and therapeutic hypothermia?

The positive outcome that hypothermia contributes to brain and cardiac protection following ischemia has stimulated research in the development of pharmacological approaches to induce a hypothermic/hypometabolic state. Here we review three papers to highlight the role of the adenosine 1 receptor (A1AR) as a potential mediator and physiological regulator of a hypothermic state in both hibernating and non-hibernating mammals. We would like to emphasize the importance of comparative studies between hibernating and non-hibernating species that could lead to important discoveries on the mechanisms inducing hibernation and how they might be translated to induce a clinically useful hypothermic state.