BRAINCAKEControl of Core Body Temperature
Core body temperature is controlled by the thermoregulatory centre in the hypothalamus, a small region at the base of the brain.
The hypothalamus receives two kinds of information:
• from its own thermoreceptors, which monitor the temperature of the blood passing through it (a direct measure of core temperature)
• from peripheral thermoreceptors in the skin, via sensory neurones, which give early warning of a change in the external temperature.
The thermoregulatory centre has two parts:
• a heat loss centre, activated when the blood is warmer than the norm. It sends impulses that cause vasodilation, more sweating and flattening of the hairs, and it inhibits shivering.
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Key terms in this lesson
- autonomic nervous system
- The part of the nervous system that controls involuntary responses, such as those of the heat loss and heat gain centres.
More in Homeostasis
- Thermoregulation in Endotherms
- The Skin
- Keeping Cool
- Keeping Warm
- Vasodilation
- Vasoconstriction
- Adaptations for Cold Environments
- Adaptations for Hot Environments
All 41 lessons in Homeostasis · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics