AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 265, Issue 5 1060-R1064, Copyright © 1993 by American Physiological Society
Cold-defense function of brown adipose tissue during sleep
M. Calasso, E. Zantedeschi and P. L. Parmeggiani
Istituto di Fisiologia Umana, Universita di Bologna, Italy.
Rats with chronically implanted electroencephalograph scalp electrodes and
thermistors were exposed to 24 and 4 degrees C ambient temperatures during
the light hours before and after acclimation to 4 degrees C ambient
temperature for 9 days. During synchronized sleep, deep interscapular
temperature was higher at 4 degrees C than at 24 degrees C both before and
after acclimation to cold. After ablation of brown adipose tissue, deep
interscapular temperature was lower at 4 degrees C than at 24 degrees C
during synchronized sleep. In the presence of brown adipose tissue, deep
interscapular temperature decreased sharply during desynchronized sleep at
4 degrees C both before and after acclimation to cold. This decrease was
subsequent to and correlated with an increase in the temperature of the
nasal mucosa. The decrease in deep interscapular temperature during
desynchronized sleep at 4 degrees C ambient temperature was markedly
reduced by ablation of the interscapular brown adipose tissue.
