Temperature-related effects of adenosine triphosphate-activated microglia on pro-inflammatory factors.

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia protects neurons after severe brain injury. Activated microglia produce several neurotoxic factors, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO), during neuron destruction. Hence, suppression of microglial release of these factors is thought to contribute partly to the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia.