I have a weird fondess for a good fever. The sweaty, shivering, achey, loopy state is at least interesting and definitely preferable to nausea or a plain old cold. This one hit me out of the blue, just as my writing finals were all turned in and a couple of days before my big two-hour neuro exam.
A fever is an interesting beast in itself. The widely accepted explanation for them is simply that the body is increasing the internal temperature in order to kill of viruses or bacteria who have a more limited viable temperature range. Many animals have a wider range than those shitty, microscopic creatures that make us sneeze. Humans, for instance, can have a “normal” oral temperature anywhere from 92 to 100 degrees fahrenheit. Then again around 95 degrees is said to be the average starting point of hypothermia. Above a 100 degrees is right about when fevers set in and there’s no fear of brain-frying until about 107 degrees. Until it reaches about 104, you should just ride out the loopy fever wave. Which, I’ll readily admit, is kinda fun.
There’s also some emerging evidence that fevers increase the movement of white blood cells—the ninja warriors of the immune system—to the front lines, and because there are more troops to fight this increases the viral/bacterial ass-kicking.
Other animals have fevers too. Iguanas try to maintain a body temperature of about 98.6 (like us), but unlike us they are “cold blooded” (scientists prefer the term “ectotherm”) meaning they have to get warm from external sources. Us mammals are “warm blooded” (scientists prefer the term “endotherm”) meaning we actually generate body heat. And while iguanas have to heat up under the sun, if they’re sick they’ll allow themselves to get quite a bit warmer, up to about 104 degrees. They induce fevers. Interesting, no?
It just so happens that one of the things I’ve been studying in preparation for this big exam is homeostasis, so I was thinking about all of this and pondering why, on top of all the other symptoms, do fevers effect cognition? I’m absolutely useless in this state. Trying to study with a fever is kinda like trying to play darts with bouncy balls. Hilarious, but fruitless.
In the middle of the night as I woke up, sweaty and disgusting, and reached over for my thermometer I realized I was singing the Adele song, Rolling in the Deep. I frequently have musical dreams and hear songs playing in my head, so it wasn’t completely strange, but I was really amused when it occurred to me that I was probably singing to the fever. And it was a really astute choice on the part of my subconscious. Well done, brain.



