Neurophysiology of temperature regulation: problems and perspectives

The neuronal basis of thermal regulation has been intensively studied. Certain neurons in the hypothalamus and elsewhere are extremely sensitive to changes in local and/or external temperature. Recent in vitro work indicates that membrane potentials rather than synaptic events may be the basis of the local sensitivity. Other central sites outside the central nervous system are also now being recognized as sources of thermal information to the thermoregulatory system. The skin thermal input relays to the nucleus raphe magnus and probably passes from there to the hypothalamus. There is still much uncertainty about how and when the skin and deep thermal receptors provide input to the temperature controller.