Heat loss during cold exposure in adult and aged C57BL/6J mice

Metabolic heat production (MHP), colonic temperature (Tco), and nonevaporative (dry) heat loss were measured in ADULT and AGED C57BL/6J male mice during cold exposure. Dry heat loss was assessed as a differential temperature (Td) between incoming and outgoing air through the chamber for indirect calorimetry. The average Td during cold exposure normalized to surface area for ADULT mice was significantly higher than that for the AGED animals (0.0618 +/- 0.0003 degree C/cm2 and 0.0553 +/- 0.0005 degree C/cm2, respectively). Linear regression analysis showed that at the same Tco AGED mice showed lower values of Td normalized to surface area, indicating that at the same body temperature they were losing less heat than ADULT animals. It was concluded that age-related decline in cold tolerance in mice is not due to a lack of ability to reduce heat loss during cold exposure. On the contrary, AGED animals had lower heat loss in comparison with ADULT. We suggest that augmentation of heat conservation mechanisms is an adaptive response to diminishing cold-induced heat production.