1. We investigated the mechanism of starvation-induced hypothermia in rats.
2. Threshold core temperatures (T-cor) for tail skin vasodilatation and col
d-induced thermogenesis were determined after a 3 day starvation using a ch
ronically implanted intravenous thermode. Food deprivation significantly lo
wered the threshold T-cor for heat production, but did not affect the heat
loss threshold. 3. Thermogenic response to a fall in T-cor below its thresh
old was enhanced by starvation.
4. Preferred ambient temperatures (T-pref) and T-cor were measured before a
nd during a 3 day starvation in a thermal gradient. The 3 day starvation si
gnificantly lowered T-cor only in the light phase of the day. The level of
hypothermia was the same throughout the fasting period, while T-pref gradua
lly increased during the 3 days of starvation.
5. When rats were starved at a constant ambient temperature of 25 degrees C
(no thermal gradient), their T-cor levels were comparable with those of th
e rats kept in the thermal gradient.
6. The results suggest that, in rats, hypothermia caused by starvation ws n
ot due to a decrement in thermogenic capability, but was due to a decrease
in the threshold for the activation of thermogenesis.