Influence of heating rate on control of heat loss from the tail in mice

Although heating rate is important for stimulating thermoregulatory reflexes, it is not known if the control system differentiates between total heat gain and rate of heat gain. Exposing animals to microwaves inside a waveguide permits continuous monitoring of whole-body heat absorption. Tail skin temperature of restrained mice was recorded during whole-body exposure to 2,450-MHz microwave radiation at specific absorption rates (SAR) of either 11.5, 21.7, or 43.5 W . kg-1 and whole-body heat loads of 0.3-14 J . g-1. The integration of tail skin temperature with time, defined as the skin temperature index (STI), was measured as a function of absorbed heat load. At ambient temperatures of 20 and 25 degrees C the STI, averaged with respect to heat load, increased significantly with SAR. Depending on SAR, the sensitivity of heat loss from the tail to microwave exposure increased 32-71% per 1 degree C elevation in ambient temperature. The data indicate that heat loss from the tail increases with the whole-body heat load accrued from microwave exposure. When heat loss is averaged with respect to heat load, the rate of heat absorption and ambient temperature increase the sensitivity of thermoregulatory centers that control peripheral heat loss from the tail of mice.