The concept of hibernation has fascinated humans for centuries. We often associate hibernation with animals which undergo a prolonged period of dormancy to survive harsh winter conditions, such as bears, groundhogs, and bats. However, what about humans?
Understanding Hibernation
Hibernation is a remarkable physiological adaptation designed for energy conservation and survival when food resources are scarce. During hibernation, animals experience a significant drop in metabolic rate, heart rate, and body temperature; entering them into a state where all bodily functions are slowed, allowing for increased chances of survival. The ability to hibernate is primarily observed in endothermic animals - animals that regulate their body temperature internally. The process of hibernation involves a complex interplay of genetic, physiological, and environmental factors:
1. Genetic predisposition: There exist innate genetic traits that encode the metabolic pathways that allow for certain physiological changes to occur in response to prolonged dormancy.
2. Metabolic adaptations: During the process of hibernation animals can drastically reduce their metabolic rates and utilise stored fat gained before dormancy as their main energy source during this period.
3. Temperature regulation: To further lower energy requirements, hibernating animals exhibit a thermoregulatory adaptation which allows them to reduce their body temperature to near ambient levels.
Human Hibernation: A Biological Possibility?
Science fiction films love to depict humans sleeping in cryogenic freezing pods on spaceships to safely travel to another planet, but is this a possibility? While humans do not naturally hibernate in the way animals do, there have been intriguing scientific advancements and studies that suggest the potential for inducing a hibernation-like state in humans. Scientists have discovered evidence of distant human ancestors exhibiting hibernation, suggesting the possibility of a human hibernation gene. Unfortunately, even if this exists, there isn’t a clear way to activate it. Nonetheless, there currently exist several therapies used to treat patients that involve a hibernation-like state:
1. Therapeutic hypothermia: In the right settings, humans can survive in severe hypothermic temperatures. Here, patients are cooled to reduce brain damage after cardiac arrest or other critical conditions, as well as to give time to doctors to assess and conduct damage control. This controlled cooling process mildly resembles the thermoregulatory metabolic changes seen in hibernating animals.
2. Torpor Induction: Researchers are actively investigating the possibility of inducing a state of torpor (a state of decreased physiological activity) in humans. One approach involves the administration of hydrogen sulfide, which has been shown to reduce metabolic rates and increase survival rates in animal studies.
Even if there are ways of potentially introducing hibernation-like states in humans, what happens to the conscious mind of a person? It is assumed that perhaps humans would enter some altered state of consciousness, like sleep, where they are still functioning but not actively aware of their surroundings.
Advantages: Unlocking Potential Benefits
Considering the possibility that we could induce hibernation in humans, what would be the biological and physiological benefits?
1) The concept of being able to slow down time and increase the longevity of life could allow for greater chances of survival and recovery rates in patients with time critical traumatic injuries. In turn, a lower metabolic demand would put less strain on the body during recovery from traumatic injuries.
2) By lowering body temperature and metabolic activity, the brain's oxygen and nutrient demands could be reduced. This would aid in neurological emergencies such as strokes and help to promote recovery.
3) Understanding the mechanisms behind hibernation could potentially unlock therapies for age-related illnesses, such as neurodegenerative diseases or metabolic disorders. Alongside this, we could possibly utilise hibernation to slow down the progression of degenerative diseases.
4) With the growing world population, food shortages, disease and extreme weather conditions are rifer than ever before. Through hibernation, the reduction of energy requirements could allow humans to survive harsher winters and low food supplies.
Drawbacks: Considering Potential Challenges
As with most physiological processes, hibernation would result in major changes in the bodily state, leading scientists to question health risks and long-term changes that may occur.
1) To induce hibernation, we would have to alter the metabolic processes of the human body, possibly resulting in chemical imbalances.
2) Not knowing the long term effects or the extent of the physiological differences, it is possible that humans could struggle to transition back from torpor without any complications. The patient would need to undergo extensive monitoring to assess long-term effects.
3) Aside from the effects on the person entering hibernation, the technology required to perform, maintain, and monitor hibernation is likely to be incredibly resource extensive, incurring a large cost.
Overall, it seems that although once believed hibernation in humans was a concept only seen in science fiction films, there is some relation to real life. Theoretically, if humans were able to enter a hibernation-like state, there would be many potential benefits such as extension life and prevention of the fast degeneration caused by certain diseases. However, without truly understanding the extent of the physiological changes that would take place, we cannot prepare for long term effects in those who enter hibernation, nor can we currently ascertain the safety of undergoing such a process.
Ultimately, while there is a glimmer of light being shone onto human hibernation, it is something we may not see for a long time yet.
Photo by Kate Stone Matheson on Unsplash.
This article was written by Rebecca Parker and edited by Julia Dabrowska. Interested in writing for WiN UK yourself? Contact us through the blog page and the editors will be in touch!
Comments