Matteo Cerri

At least some of the genes that enable hibernation in certain animals are also found in our DNA, but they are regulated differently. Now, researchers at the University of Utah (United States) have analyzed the human genome and identified specific regions and changes that affect this regulation, which could be useful in the future to take advantage of some of its benefits. According to the researchers, who share their findings in two papers published simultaneously in the journal Science, "there is a possibility that, by understanding these mechanisms, we may find strategies to intervene and help with age-related diseases and improve our own health".

By directing ultrasound to a specific area of the brain, scientists at the University of Washington have succeeded in inducing a state very similar to hibernation in rats and mice. This state, called "torpor", involves a reduction in metabolism and body temperature to save energy. According to the authors, who publish their results in the journal Nature Metabolism, if it could be applied to humans it could be used in space travel or in medicine, to increase the chances of survival in life-threatening situations such as heart attacks or strokes.