Alteration of the discharge pattern of rat diencephalic neurones with scrotal skin temperature.

Neuronal responses to different scrotal skin temperatures were examined in the hypothalamus of anaesthetised male rats. Mean firing rate and interspike intervals were calculated on-line by microcomputers. Two types of response were observed when the scrotal skin was warmed: an abrupt change in mean firing rate coupled with a change in firing pattern, or a change of pattern unaccompanied by any change in mean rate. These results suggest that hypothalamic cells can convey information independently of their mean firing rate.