EFFECT OF INTRAHYPOTHALAMIC INFUSION OF ACETYLCHOLINE ON BEHAVIOURAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL THERMOREGULATION IN RAT

Changes in body temperature can be produced by local application of drugs to the preoptic and anterior area of the hypothalamus. The direction of these responses varies with the drug and the species1-4. The physiological response induced by the drug may be accompanied by a complementary behavioural thermoregulatory response: local heating of the hypothalamus, which produces physiological heat dissipation responses5, also results in decreases in rate of response for peripheral heat6,7. Similarly, local cooling produces increased rectal temperature and increased rates of response for heat7,8. © 1969 Nature Publishing Group.