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Ethanol anapyrexia in rats

E Briese¹, L Hernandez

¹Universidad de los andes, Mérida, Venezuela.

Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior

|June 1, 1996

Summary

Ethanol lowers body temperature by shifting the thermoregulatory set point downward, not by impairing thermal regulation. This ethanol-induced hypothermia is akin to anapyrexia, the inverse of fever.

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Area of Science:

Physiology
Pharmacology
Neuroscience

Background:

Ethanol consumption is known to cause a drop in body temperature.
The precise mechanism behind ethanol-induced hypothermia remains debated, with possibilities including impaired thermoregulation or a downward shift in the thermal set point.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether ethanol-induced hypothermia results from impaired thermal regulation (poikilothermia) or a downward shift in the thermoregulatory set point.
To characterize the dynamic changes in selected ambient temperature and core body temperature following ethanol administration.

Main Methods:

Utilized telemetry to record core body temperature and selected ambient temperature in rats.
Administered intraperitoneal injections of ethanol (2 g/kg) or saline to rats housed in a thermocline.
Manipulated ambient temperature to assess thermoregulatory responses post-ethanol injection.

Main Results:

Rats selected significantly lower ambient temperatures after ethanol injection compared to pre-injection and saline controls.
Core body temperature decreased by approximately 2.5 degrees C following ethanol administration.
Core body temperature remained stable at a normal level when rats were exposed to 30 degrees C post-ethanol, and began to rise after 40 minutes, indicating a shift in preference towards warmer temperatures.

Conclusions:

Ethanol-induced hypothermia is primarily caused by a downward shift in the thermoregulatory set point.
This phenomenon can be described as anapyrexia, the inverse of fever, rather than a failure of thermoregulation.
The findings provide critical insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ethanol's effects on thermoregulation.

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