How does the body regulate its temperature, and how does it then fight a fever?

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How does the body regulate its temperature, and how does it then fight a fever?

5th March 2000

Body temperature is regulated by the hypothalamus, a small but vital region of the brain situated below the two thalami and above the pituitary gland. The anterior portion of the hypothalamus controls heat loss by means of peripheral vasodilatation and sweating when the body temperature is above the normal set point. The posterior portion is responsible for conserving heat when the body temperature falls, producing peripheral vasoconstriction and shivering. The hypothalamus is the central component of several neural feedback loops that monitor body temperature and bring about changes to maintain the temperature within an optimum range. Thermoreceptors are present in the hypothalamus, skin, respiratory system, and digestive system. These receptors monitor temperature and enable the hypothalamus to initiate appropriate responses.

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The core temperature (the temperature of organs within the cranial, thoracic and abdominal cavities) remains relatively constant - within the range 36.1 - 37.8 ° C (Heath, 1995). The peripheral temperature fluctuates according to both metabolic activity and the surrounding environmental temperature. This fluctuation is essential in order to maintain core temperature within the normal range. It is important to appreciate that heat gains and heat losses must be kept in balance. If the heat gained exceeds the amount of heat lost, the body temperature will gradually rise, and if this is not corrected a fatal heat stoke will develop. ...

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