Central thermosensitivity during fever produced by intra-PO/AH and intravenous injections of pyrogen.

Squirrel monkeys with thermodes implanted in the preoptic/anterior hypothalamic (PO/AH) region and the medulla oblongata were used to examine three questions about central thermoresponsiveness in fever: Does thermoresponsiveness of the PO/AH region and medulla change during fevers caused by injection of bacterial endotoxin IV or directly into the PO/AH region? Does thermosensitivity of these brain regions determine the upper fever limit? Is thermoresponsiveness of the PO/AH region affected by local injections of salicylate? Changes in rectal temperature and oxygen consumption in response to heating and cooling the PO/AH region were reduced during fever caused by intra-PO/AH injections of bacterial endotoxin compared with changes produced during afebrile periods. PO/AH thermosensitivity was also reduced during fever caused by IV administration of bacterial pyrogen. Prolonged cooling of the PO/AH region or the medulla oblongata during fever produced by peripheral and central pyrogen injections did not cause rectal temperature (Tre) to rise above 41.1 degrees C although local heating reduced Tre or limited the fever maximum. From the latter result it is concluded that both pools of central thermoreceptors can limit maximal fever by reacting to local high temperature but that lowered temperature in neither region can raise Tre above a level determined by antagonistic input from thermoreceptors in other parts of the body. Injections of sodium salicylate into the PO/AH region had no effect on thermoresponsiveness of the region. This finding reinforces the idea that salicylates do not produce antipyresis by acting directly on thermosensitive cells of the central temperature control system.