Brain temperature may influence mood: A hypothesis

SummaryLowering core body and brain temperature has been shown to be beneficial for multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular accidents, traumatic brain injuries and myocardial infarction. Svante Arrhenius’ rate law governs human thermoregulation and all biochemical reactions including complex chemical processes involved in mood disorders.We reviewed the studies on core body and brain temperature’s influence on mood, mood disorders and their treatment. Our review suggests the majority of therapeutic strategies against mania are hypothermic while thermogenic strategies are used to combat depressive disorders.We hypothesize that therapeutic manipulation of brain temperature may represent a key mechanism in the treatment of mood disorders possibly because of brain temperature’s profound influence on human biology governed by Svante Arrhenius’ rate law. We postulate that brain temperature may rise with mania and fall with depression.