Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System in the Control of Chemical Regulation of Heat Production

¹ From the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington

The ganglionic blocking agent hexamethonium chloride and the adrenolytic agent piperoxane hydrochloride prevented the increase in oxygen consumption otherwise observed in curarized, cold-adapted rats exposed to cold. Atropine sulfate had no effect. The sympathetic nervous system, including the adrenal medulla, appears to be important in the mediation of chemical regulation of heat production in these animals. L-noradrenaline was more effective than adrenaline in preventing the fall in oxygen consumption caused by hexamethonium. This finding suggests that noradrenaline may also play an important part in chemical regulation.