Anaesthesia Fundamentals | Physiology | Body Temperature and its Regulation

Body Temperature and its Regulation
Session Overview
Description
This session examines the control of body temperature. It covers physiological aspects of temperature homeostasis including various mechanisms and body systems that are involved in regulation.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Describe how body temperature is usually controlled
• List the physical principles that govern heat loss from the body
• Describe the role of the skin and the hypothalamus in temperature control
• List the mechanisms that restore homeostasis when body temperature is altered

Session Key Points

• Core body temperature is a function of heat production and heat loss
• Radiation, convection and conduction, and evaporation are the most common methods of heat loss
• Temperature regulatory mechanism are co-ordinated by the hypothalamus, which receives afferents from peripheral and central thermoreceptors
• An increase in core temperature results in vasodilatation, increased sweating and behaviour modification to lose heat
• A decrease in temperature causes vasoconstriction, shivering, behaviour modification to conserve heat and thermogenesis