New Medical Study Results Indicate Reduction in ICP with Therapeutic Hypothermia

We have often noted that in addition to the engineering benefits (e.g. mass reduction) as well as mitigation of various psycho-social challenges, we believe there are potentially numerous physiological/health benefits that may arise through torpor.

As an example, results were recently published from a European clinical trial showing a reduction in intracranial pressure (ICP) for traumatic brain injury victims who underwent therapeutic hypothermia.

http://www.liebertpub.com/global/pressrelease/new-study-data-show-reduced-intracranial-pressure-after-severe-traumatic-brain-injury-with-therapeutic-hypothermia/1714/

The issue of elevated ICP has been cited as one of NASA's top human health risks, with a number of astronauts encountering ocular damage and visual acuity issues after only a few months in space.

Under the VIIP project, NASA is currently conducting experiments on the ISS to try and measure the increased pressure to better understand this risk.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1038.html