Central thermosensitivity and the integrative responses of hypothalamic neurons

1. Hypothalamic thermosensitive neurons are important in the integrative regulation of body temperature. In addition to receiving afferent thermal input, their activity correlates with the stimulation of thermoregulatory mechanisms. 2. While cold sensitivity is synaptically mediated, warm sensitivity depends on inherent cellular responses. Warm sensitive neurons may also respond to other homeostatic variations, hormones, and endogenous mediators. 3. In contrast to peripheral thermoresponsiveness, which depends on conductance changes that regulate membrane potential, hypothalamic warm sensitivity relies on regulating the prepotential phase of the action potential. 4. Additionally, the recent morphologic characterization of these neurons supports the criterion for warm sensitivity. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.