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A thermosensory pathway that controls body temperature

Nature Neuroscience volume 11, pages 62–71 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Defending body temperature against environmental thermal challenges is one of the most fundamental homeostatic functions that are governed by the nervous system. Here we describe a somatosensory pathway that essentially constitutes the afferent arm of the thermoregulatory reflex that is triggered by cutaneous sensation of environmental temperature changes. Using in vivo electrophysiological and anatomical approaches in the rat, we found that lateral parabrachial neurons are pivotal in this pathway by glutamatergically transmitting cutaneous thermosensory signals received from spinal somatosensory neurons directly to the thermoregulatory command center, the preoptic area. This feedforward pathway mediates not only sympathetic and shivering thermogenic responses but also metabolic and cardiac responses to skin cooling challenges. Notably, this 'thermoregulatory afferent' pathway exists in parallel with the spinothalamocortical somatosensory pathway that mediates temperature perception. These findings make an important contribution to our understanding of both the somatosensory system and thermal homeostasis—two mechanisms that are fundamental to the nervous system and to our survival.

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Figure 1: POA-projecting LPB neurons are activated in a cold environment and innervated by dorsal horn (DH) neurons.
Figure 2: Skin cooling-evoked response of single LPB neurons antidromically activated from the POA.
Figure 3: Inhibition of neuronal activity or blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the LPB reverses skin cooling-evoked thermogenic, metabolic and cardiac responses.
Figure 4: Stimulation of LPB neurons evokes thermogenic, metabolic and cardiovascular responses that depend on glutamatergic neurotransmission in the POA.
Figure 5: Skin cooling-evoked thermogenic response does not require a thalamic relay.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Y. Nakamura for discussion and assistance. This work was supported by US National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants NS40987 and DK57838 to S.F.M. K.N. is a fellow for research abroad supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Acquisition of confocal images was supported by NIH instrumentation grant RR016858.

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  1. Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, 505 N.W. 185th Avenue, Beaverton, 97006, Oregon, USA

    Kazuhiro Nakamura & Shaun F Morrison

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  1. Kazuhiro Nakamura
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K.N. contributed to most of the experimental design, carried out the experiments and analyzed the data. K.N. and S.F.M. discussed the data and wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Kazuhiro Nakamura.

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Nakamura, K., Morrison, S. A thermosensory pathway that controls body temperature. Nat Neurosci 11, 62–71 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn2027

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