Brain pathways for temperature and fever

Abstract

This project aims to map the nerve pathways in the brain that participate in the regulation of body temperature in the laboratory rat. The area of the brain that will be studied is the hypothalamic region. We will determine how this region influences the constriction of blood vessels in the skin to reduce heat loss when an animal is exposed to a cool environment, or when it exhibits a fever in response to a bacterial infection. As well, we will compare the nervous pathway that controls the generation of heat from fat tissue in response to cold or fever with those controlling blood flow to the skin. These nervous pathways may be critical for maintaining correct body temperature during general..

Related publications (3)

Multiple thermoregulatory effectors with independent central controls

Robin M McAllen, Mutsumi Tanaka, Yoichiro Ootsuka, Michael J McKinley

2010-05-01

Functional correlates of activity in neurons projecting from the lamina terminalis to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray.

Aaron Uschakov, Dennis McGinty, Ronald Szymusiak, Michael J McKinley

2009-12-01

The lamina terminalis (LT) consists of the organum vasculosum of the LT (OVLT), the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) and the subforn..

Short of air? Cool it!

RM McAllen

2009-11-01