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Thermoregulation and the ultradian basic rest-activity cycle.

William W Blessing¹

¹Department of Human Physiology, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Handbook of Clinical Neurology

|November 21, 2018

Summary

Daily activity cycles, known as the basic rest-activity cycle, involve brief periods of interaction and rest. These cycles correlate with increased brown adipose tissue (BAT) temperature, potentially aiding cognitive function.

Keywords:

BAT basic rest–activity cycle brain temperature brown adipose tissue brown adipose tissue thermogenesis eating emotional hyperthermia hippocampal theta rhythm homeostasis stochastic timing stress-induced hyperthermia thermogenesis

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Area of Science:

Physiology
Neuroscience
Chronobiology

Background:

Daily life involves alternating periods of activity and rest, observed in rats as spontaneous interactions and rest phases.
The temporal pattern of these cycles was termed the "basic rest-activity cycle" by Kleitman.
These cycles occur approximately every 1-2 hours in a stochastic pattern, described as ultradian rhythmicity.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the physiological changes associated with the basic rest-activity cycle.
To explore the relationship between environmental interactions, brown adipose tissue (BAT) temperature, and brain/body temperature.
To determine if these temperature changes necessitate an expanded framework for thermoregulation.

Main Methods:

Observation of spontaneous and evoked interactions in rats.
Measurement of brown adipose tissue (BAT) temperature during active periods.
Monitoring of brain and body temperature changes.

Main Results:

Both spontaneous and evoked environmental interactions are linked to a ~1°C increase in BAT temperature.
This BAT temperature increase leads to associated rises in brain (~0.8°C) and body (~0.6°C) temperatures.
These temperature fluctuations extend beyond the conventional understanding of homeostasis.

Conclusions:

The observed temperature increases during activity cycles suggest a role beyond simple homeostasis.
These thermoregulatory adjustments may facilitate cognitive processing for environmental interaction and decision-making.
The findings propose an updated model for temperature regulation that incorporates activity-induced changes.