Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 40, Issue 4 514-520, Copyright © 1976 by American Physiological Society
Two-dimensional determination of thermosensitive sites within the goat's hypothalamus
C. Jessen
In two conscious goats with chronically implanted multithermodes the
distribution of thermosensitive sites within the anterior hypothalamus was
determined. Changes in heat production at Ta=+5 degrees C and changes in
respiratory evaporative heat loss at Ta=+33 degrees C in response to
discrete temperature stimuli were measured and the magnitude of the
responses was correlated with the histologically assessed position of the
probes transmitting the stimuli. In both animals the array of probes was
centered close to the center of the thermosensitive area. The density of
thermosensitive structures increased toward the center of the area covered
by the probes. The most sensitive points were situated close to either side
of the midline in those frontal planes which contained the nuclei
supraoptici and paraventriculares. No difference was found between cold-
and warm-sensitive sites.
