Experimental analysis reveals fever enhances synaptic function in aging models, suggesting thermal treatment could support cognitive health.
The physiological impact of fever on the brain remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that temperature increases by yeast injection in rats (N=9) and by whole-body hyperthermia in mice (N=7) triggers structural synaptic enhancement in the prefrontal cortex through a mechanism involving AMPA-type glutamate receptors and protein translation (N=6). Repeated pyrexia induction in juvenile rats (N=9) results in synaptic strengthening that persists into adulthood, mitigating learning deficits and synaptic loss in a D-galactose model of accelerated aging (N=9-11). Our results show how common environmental conditions may shape brain function in the long-term via synaptic plasticity, warranting further exploration of thermal treatment for cognitive protection in aging.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Du et al. (2025) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: