Body Temperature 1

Objectives
Understand the concept of core and shell
temperature
Describe the importance of thermoregulation
Understand the importance of cutaneous circulation
in regulating heat exchange
List the mechanisms of heat loss to the environment
List the mechanisms of heat gain by the body
Describe the elements of the thermoregulatory
responses
Describe the thermoregulatory responses to
decreased and increased core temperature
 Introduction
People maintain normal body
temperature despite variations in
both their metabolic activity and
Ambient temperature

Homeothermic animals
 The Core temperature:
- Temperature of the internal organs
like the brain, and organs in the
thoracic and abdominal cavities

Shell temperature:
- Temperature of the body surface (the
skin)
Body temperature
Thermoneutral
(C)
Temperature zone
37 Rectal temperature
(C)
--
35 Skin temperature
-- (C)
33
--
31
--
I I I I I I I
23 25 27 29 31 33 35 Ambient
temperature (C)
 The core temperature is precisely
regulated

The shell temperature varies

substantially depending on the
temperature of the surroundings

The shell/ skin temperature is

important for heat loss from the body
 Core temperature is usually recorded
from the outer ear or mouth

Core temperature can also be

recorded form the
-axilla
-rectum (mouth tem + 0.6C )
 Normal value of core body
temperature

When recorded from the mouth:

37 C (36 -
37.5 C)
98.6 F (97 -
99.5 F)
 Normal value of core body
temperature

Core temperature shows diurnal variation

(24h) within the limit of 1C
-Lowest in the early morning (4 am)
-Increases to a maximum in late afternoon
or early evening (2-4 pm)
Increases by 0.5C in pregnant females
and with ovulation
Can increased during heavy exercise to
values above 37.5C
 Thermorgulation

Is an important homeostatic
mechanism
Thermoregulation is:
To maintain core body
temperature constant within a
narrow range ( 0.6 C)
 Heat balance

For a constant internal (core) body

temperature:

Rate of heat gain = Rate of

heat loss
 Heat balance
The body gain heat by
1- Heat production:
Metabolism, SDA of food, muscle
contraction, and non-shivering thermogenesis
2- From the environment :
if the ambient temperature is wormer than
the body

The body loses heat to the environment

 Why is body temperature precisely
regulated ?

Consequences of Increased core

temperature:
The rate of Enzyme activity within cells
increases when the core temperature rises up to
an optimum temperature
1C increase in core temperature increase the
metabolic rate by 14%
At a temperature above 42C enzymes and other
cellular proteins will starts to denature and cell
damage will occur
Temperature above 43C is incompatible with life
 Why is body temperature precisely
regulated ?
Consequences of decreased core
temperature:
Better tolerated by cells than
increased core temperature
The cells will function more slowly
But Temperature regulation and
consciousness are impaired at
temperature below 33C and this
might lead to death
Insulator system of the body
Subcutaneous tissue and fat makes it
possible to maintain the core
temperature constant while allowing
the skin temperature to approach
that of the environment
The role of the cutaneous circulation
in thermoregulation
The cutaneous circulation provides a
controlled mechanism for Heat
transfer between internal body core
and skin

Epider
Capillari mis
es

Dermi
Arteriol Arteriovenous s
Venous plexus
anastomosis
Heat transfer between internal body
core and skin
Blood flow from internal heated
organs to the skin is achieved by
arterioles that penetrate the
subcutaneous tissue and are
distributed to a venous plexuses
immediately below the skin
Heat transfer between internal body
core and skin
Arteriovenous anastomosis in
exposed areas of the skin provides a
direct contact between the arterioles
and the venous plexus
Both the arterioles and the AV
anastomosis are richly supplied by
the sympathetic
 Heat transfer between internal body
core and skin

The amount of blood flow to the skin

determines the rate of heat
conduction from the core of the body
to the skin
 Heat transfer between internal body
core and skin

The blood flow to the skin is under the

regulation of the sympathetic nervous
system in response to changes in body core
temperature and environmental
temperature

Sympathetic discharge to the

coetaneous blood vessels is
is initiated by the
posterior hypothalamus
 Heat transfer between internal body
core and skin

Increased core body or environmental

temperature:
inhibit the sympathetic stimulation to skin
blood vessels leading to cutaneous Vasodilation
Heat loss from the skin surface is increased

Decreased core body and environmental

temperature stimulate vasoconstriction
Heat loss is decreased
 Mechanisms of Heat exchange

Heat exchange between the body and

the environment can be achieved by:
1- Radiation :
loss or gain of heat in the form of
infrared rays (thermal energy)
2- Conduction: transfer of heat
between objects in direct contact
 Mechanisms of Heat exchange

3- Convection:
The removal of heat from the body
by a current of air (or water)
air in direct contact with the skin is
wormed by conduction then it moves
away from the surface of the skin
and its replaced by un heated air
 Conduction and convection of heat to
water is many times greater than to
air
Clothing can depresses heat
exchange by conduction and
convection (1/2 to 1/6)
 Mechanisms of Heat
exchange
4- Evaporation:
Results in heat loss from the body
To evaporate, water molecules
absorb heat from the skin
0.58 Kcal of heat are lost for each
ml of water that evaporates from the
body
Two types:
1. Insensible evaporation
 Heat loss by evaporation
1. Insensible evaporations
. Evaporation of water from the skin,
mucosa of the mouth and lungs =
450- 600ml/day
. 12-16 Kcal/h of heat is continiously
lost as insensible evaporation
. can not be controlled
 Heat loss by evaporation
2. Evaporation of sweat:
. The only mean by which the body can lose
heat when the surrounding temperature is
higher than skin and body temperature
. In hot climates sweating is essential to
prevent the increase in core body
temperature to dangerous levels
. It can be regulated according to body
and environmental temperature
 Regulation of sweating
Sweating is
controlled by the
anterior
hypothalamus
 Regulation of sweating
Increased body temperature
stimulate sweating
Environmental temperature of
30 -32C initiate sweating

Impulses are carried by the

sympathetic to all sweat glands
(cholinergic sym.)

Sympathetic discharge
increase the rate of sweat
production
 Regulation of sweating

Although sweating provides an

effective means of heat loss from the
body it also represent a dangerous loss
of water and NaCl
 Regulation of sweating
Rate of sweating:
In cold environments = zero
In a hot environment:
The rate depends on the degree of acclimatization
maximum rate
=1 L/h in normal unacclimatized person
= 2-3 L/h in acclimatized person
A subject acclimatized to living in a hot environment
can produce more sweat per hour
,the sweat also contains less NaCl, and sweating is
initiated at lower ambient temperatures
 Sympathetic nervous system and
the regulation of body temperature
Sympathetic nervous system is activated by both
Cold and worm environmental temperature

The effect of the sympathetic stimulation in cold

environmental temperture (posterior
hypothalamus) include
1- heat conservation(decrease heat loss):
1 mediated vasoconstriction of blood vessels to
the skin
2-heat generation (non shivering thermogenesis):
through receptors in brown fat and also in
muscles
 Sympathetic nervous system and
the regulation of body temperature

In a Hot environment, cholinergic

sympathetic stimulation to sweat glands
(anterior hypothalmus) increases which
increase heat loss by evaporation.
Components of the thermoregulatory response:
Hypothalamic thermoregulatory center
Afferent input from thermoreceptors
Efferent output to effectors systems
Sympathetic and somatic eferents
Effector systems:
1. Cutaneous circulation
2. Sweat glands
3. Skeletal muscles
4. Endocrine glands (adrenal, thyroid gland)
5. Behavioral response
 Thermoregulatory
responses
The temperature regulating centre in
the hypothalamus is made of two centres

1-Heat loss centre located in the

Anterior hypothalamus
-it controls the heat loss mechanisms
(sweating)
 Thermoregulatory
responses
2-Heat production and conservation
centre in the Posterior hypothalamus
- controls the heat gain and conservation
mechanisms :
1. shivering (to skeletal muscles)
2. Coetaneous vasoconstriction
(sympathetic)
 Temperature detectors

The hypothalamus receives afferent input

from:

1. Peripheral cutaneous thermoreceptors

located in the skin
2. Central thermoreceptors located in the
Anterior hypthalamus
3. Viscera cold sensitive receptors
 Body temperature is controlled
around a set- point

The set point is a critical level of

temperature at which the
thermoregulatory mechanisms try to
maintain the core temperature
It is controlled by the hypothalamus
The set-point fore core body
temperature is normally at 37 C
 The hypothalamic
thermostate
The hypothalmus behaves as a thermostate
( set at the set-point ) that maintain a balance
between heat loss and heat production
Impulses from peripheral and central thermo
receptors are transmitted to the posterior
hypothalamus
The information is compared to the set point
Any deviation from the set point will initiate a
temperature regulatory change
 The hypothalamic
thermostate
Deviation above the set-point
(increased core temperature) promote
heat loss and decrease heat production

Deviation below the set point

(decreased core temperature)
promotes heat gain mechanisms and
heat conservation mechanisms
 Thermoregulatory response to
cooling
Response include increasing heat production,
decreasing heat loss and behavioural responses:

1- Heat production can be increased by

1. Shivering: rhythmic contractions of muscles

2. Increased sympathetic activity: metabolic effect
3. Increased thyroid gland activity: metabolic effect
needs time to be effective = acclimatization to
cold
weather
 Response to cooling
2- Heat loss can be reduced by:

1. Cutaneous vasoconstriction (hands and feet)

2. Piloerection : skin hair stand on end ffective
in furry animals not in humans
3. Inhibition of sweating

3- Behavioural adjustments to sensation of cold

ex: go to a worm room, wear heavy clothes
 Thermoregulatory response to
worming the body
The response includes increased heat
loss, decreased heat gain, and
behavioural responses:

1-Heat loss is increased by:

1. Cutaneous vasodilation= inhibiting the

sympathetic outflow to the skin
2. Sweating= evaporation heat loss
 Response to worming the
body
2-Heat production is reduced by

1. Inhibit shivering
2. Decreased activity of the thyroid
gland

3- behavioural adjustments for

sensation of warmth: decrease
activity , wear light clothes, find
cooler area or fanning
 Thermoregulatory Response
Increased Environmental Decreased Environmental
Temperature Core Temperature Core
temperature above the set temperature below the set
Mechanisms for
point Mechanisms for point
Heat gain and
Heat loss
conservation
Vasodilation Vasoconstriction

Sweating -Evaporation Shivering

Increase metabolism,
NSTG
Decreased metabolism
Catecholamines and
thyroid of
Inhibition
Inhibition of shivering
sweating

Behavioural Behavioural
 Thermoregulatory
responses
Quick view:
Is controlled by a temperature regulating centre in the
hypothalamus
The system has a set point at the normal body temperature
Changes in temperature is detected by temperature
sensitive receptors (central and skin thermoreceptors)
Deviation from the set point evoke responses that tend to
restore body temperature toward the set point
The responses are mediated by the sympathetic
autonomic, somatic and endocrine systems
It is a negative feed back response= stops once the
temperature is back to the set point