Eight big-tailed dwarf lemurs, our closest hibernating 'relatives', have awakened from their first hibernation in captivity.
It happened in the United States, at the Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina, where researchers were able to recreate the right environmental conditions to induce these small primates to freeze their vital functions as those who live free in the forests of Madagascar do in winter. .
The results of the first analyzes, published in Scientific Reports, show that the eight specimens are in excellent health: further investigations may help to reveal the secrets of hibernation, potentially useful for saving the lives of patients in serious conditions and to facilitate long space travel of astronauts.
"Until now, to study hibernation in these primates, it was necessary to go to Madagascar to catch them in the act, while now - explains the study coordinator, Marina Blanco - we can study hibernation directly here, with closer monitoring".
To reproduce the environmental conditions suitable for hibernation, the researchers created wooden structures similar to tree cavities where lemurs go to take refuge in the winter.
The hours of light have been reduced from 12 to 9.5, while the temperature has been lowered from 25 to about 10 degrees.
The animals were offered food only when they were awake and active, while their weight was measured every two weeks.
In this way, the lemurs went into hibernation for four months, with their metabolism frozen for 70% of the time.
The first tests done upon awakening indicate that they are in good health, even if they weigh up to 35% less.
The appetite returned and the heart rate accelerated again, going from eight to two hundred beats per minute.
The next step will be to use non-invasive analyzes and sensors to understand how lemurs prepare their bodies for hibernation and how they then awaken it: researchers expect to discover useful clues to develop new therapeutic strategies for heart attack, stroke and other serious problems. for human health.
