Effect of Lateral Preoptic Area Lesion on Sleep Wakefulness and Thermoregulation In Cold Acclimatized Rats

Hypothalamic temperature (Thy) alteration is one of the important stimuli that brings about thermoregulatory measures including the changes in wakefulness and muscular activity. The role of the lateral preoptic area (lPOA) in thermoregulation and sleep is well documented. But it is not known whether the integrity of the lPOA is essential for bringing about the changes in sleep-wakefulness (S-W) and thermoregulation in cold ambient temperature (Ta). Neurotoxic lesion of the lPOA resulted in an increase in wake period and core body temperature (Tb) and no change in Thy. Unlike, normal animals, as reported earlier, there was further increase in Tb of the lPOA lesioned rats on acute cold exposure, but the Thy remained unaltered throughout the 28 days of continued cold exposure. The findings demonstrate that the lPOA lesioned rats have lost the ability to reset Thy which may be necessary for thermoregulation during cold exposure. Moreover, increased wake period lasted only 7 days in lesioned, compared to 14 days in normal animals. Less efficient restoration of Tb, and less prolonged wake period during continued cold exposure, are probably the result of the inability of the lPOA lesioned rats to lower Thy, which is necessary to bring about the thermoregulatory measures.