A new study shows that part of the stress response in people and animals involves increasing the levels of naturally circulating iodide in blood. The discovery demonstrates a biological mechanism that rapidly responds to severe physiologic stress and potentially serves to protect us from further damage due to life-threatening conditions.

The discovery demonstrates a biological mechanism that rapidly responds to severe physiologic stress and potentially serves to protect us from further damage due to life-threatening conditions.

Analyzing hundreds of blood samples, the researchers found that iodide, a form of the element iodine, increased by 17 times in trauma patients within two hours of experiencing severe blunt force trauma and by 26 times in sepsis patients compared with healthy donors. Using an animal model of stress — hibernation — they also discovered that iodide increases when arctic ground squirrels hibernate.

«The squirrels are doing the same thing as patients with life-threatening injuries: play dead but not be dead,» said senior author Dr. Mark Roth, professor in the Basic Sciences Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

«Our study suggests that rapid increases of iodide in the blood could represent an ancient response to stress that is shared across animals. If we can harness this capability it could transform emergency medicine,» he said.

Roth’s field of research explores how to put animals in a temporary suspended animation, like pressing pause between life and death. He was named a 2007 MacArthur fellow and received a so-called «genius grant» for his pioneering efforts.

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Materials provided by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.