Record Display for the EPA National Library Catalog

RECORD NUMBER: 45 OF 201

Main Title Dynamics of Behavioral Thermoregulation in the Rat.
Author Gordon, C. J. ; Lee, K. L. A. ; Chen, T. L. A. ; Killough, P. ; Ali, J. S. ;
CORP Author Health Effects Research Lab., Research Triangle Park, NC. Neurotoxicology Div. ;NSI Technology Services Corp., Research Triangle Park, NC.
Publisher c1991
Year Published 1991
Report Number EPA/600/J-91/305;
Stock Number PB92-124619
Additional Subjects Body temperature regulation ; Animal behavior ; Rats ; Species diversity ; Motor activity ; Temperature ; Circadian rhythms ; Reprints ;
Holdings
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Status
NTIS  PB92-124619 Some EPA libraries have a fiche copy filed under the call number shown. 07/26/2022
Collation 9p
Abstract
Past studies have found that the laboratory rat placed in a temperature gradient prefers temperatures that are markedly below its lower critical ambient temperature (LCT), whereas other rodents (e.g., mouse, hamster, and guinea pig) generally select thermal environments associated with minimal metabolic expenditure. To further study the rat's thermoregulatory behavior, a temperature gradient was designed to monitor the selected ambient temperature (ST(sub a)) and motor activity (MA) of rats of the Long-Evans (LE), Fischer 344 (F344), and Sprague-Dawley (SD) strains over a 22 hr period. The new gradient differs from previous systems in two ways: (1) it is larger permitting more unrestricted movements and (2) it automatically monitors ST(sub a) over a relatively long, uninterrupted period of time. All three rat strains selected relatively cool ST(sub a)'s of 21 to 26C during the first 1 to 3 hr in the temperature gradient. This was followed by a gradual increase in the ST(sub a) which peaked at 4 (F344) to 6 hr (SD and LE) after being placed in the gradient.