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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, BACKGROUND, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Animals, Cold Temperature, Immersion, Infrared Rays, Mice, Survival Analysis, Survival Rate, Swimming, Whole-Body Irradiation.
user
Do mice receiving infrared irradiation have a higher survival rate under forced swimming in cold? Context: To explore the effect of infrared (IR) irradiation on the survival rates of mice under forced swimming in cold conditions. IR irradiation has been found to be beneficial for wound healing, tumor reduction, pain relief, and even against depression. However, whether the antidepressant effect of IR irradiation came from heat has remained unanswered. The goals of the study were originally aimed at using an animal model for depression to understand the relationship between the antidepressant effect of IR irradiation and hyperthermia as well as seasonality. Forty-four mice were housed in cages in a room subject to the outdoor temperature, and randomly assigned to the IR-treated group (n = 15), the heat-treated group (n = 14), and the control group (n = 15) during winter. The mice of the IR-treated group received whole-body IR irradiation for 60 min daily, while the heat-treated group received heat diffusion to reach the same temperature level. The control group received neither IR nor heat. All groups of mice underwent a forced swimming test weekly. Incidentally, two episodes of cold current occurred during the study period, and some mice died. The survival rates were compared pairwise against the control. The IR-treated group had a significantly reduced relative risk (p = 0.013) when compared with the control group, while the heat-treated group did not show any significant reduction (p = 0.087). There was no significant difference in body temperatures of the three groups before and after the irradiation.
assistant
IR irradiation resulted in a significantly higher survival rate for mice that were concurrently subjected to cold and a forced swimming test. This result may be beyond the thermal effect. Final Decision: yes