Involvement of ventromedial hypothalamus in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis induced by preoptic cooling in rats

In unanesthetized rats, preoptic (PO) cooling increased brown adipose tissue (BAT) temperature (Tbat). Tbat was kept at a higher level by PO cooling, but lidocaine injected into the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) decreased Tbat and saline had no effect. These results indicate VMH is involved in BAT thermogenesis induced by PO cooling.