Question

If untreated, fevers of \(104^{\circ} \mathrm{F}\) or higher may lead to brain damage. Why?

Short answer

Fever of \(104^{\circ} \mathrm{F}\) or higher can lead to brain damage because the high temperature can denature the body's enzymes, disrupting normal metabolic processes, including those in the brain. This could lead to seizures, hallucinations, and permanent brain damage.

Step-by-step solution

Understand human body's normal temperature

The human body maintains a stable internal temperature, known as homeostasis. The average normal body temperature is generally accepted as \(98.6^{\circ} \mathrm{F}\) (37\(^{\circ}\) \mathrm{C}\).

Understand the effect of temperature increase

The cellular processes of the human body are optimized for this normal body temperature. When body's internal temperature rises significantly beyond this point, the body's enzymes (proteins that facilitate metabolic reactions) can denature, or lose their structural shape due to the extreme heat. This can disrupt the normal metabolic processes.

Understand the effect on the brain

If the body temperature rises to \(104^{\circ} \mathrm{F}\) or higher, it may affect the brain. Since brain controls many functions of the body, such conditions might lead to the occurrence of seizures, hallucinations, and can even cause permanent brain damage if not treated immediately.