Hibernating animals also show a very low amount of muscular atrophy. A human wouldn't be able to walk after a few months of lying in bed. By contrast, a ground squirrel can be quickly up and running after 6 months of hibernation. In the future, as we better understand the process, hibernation may also be used for space travel, not just for long term sleep, but also to preserve the muscles of astronauts from atrophy. Some have even considered the application of hibernation principles to the storage of organs for transplantation.
Hibernation occurs in members of almost every type of mammal.
Monotremes, marsupials, primates, rodents, bats and many others all hibernate. This information suggests hibernation may be a very early development in mammals. The genes for PL and PDK-4 are also found in humans. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates acceptance of the Terms and Conditions of Use .