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Physical exercise-induced changes in the core body temperature of mice depend more on ambient temperature than on exercise protocol or intensity

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Abstract

The mechanisms underlying physical exercise-induced hyperthermia may be species specific. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of exercise intensity and ambient temperature on the core body temperature (T core) of running mice, which provide an important experimental model for advancing the understanding of thermal physiology. We evaluated the influence of different protocols (constant- or incremental-speed exercises), treadmill speeds and ambient temperatures (T a) on the magnitude of exercise-induced hyperthermia. To measure T core, a telemetric sensor was implanted in the abdominal cavity of male adult Swiss mice under anesthesia. After recovering from the surgery, the animals were familiarized to running on a treadmill and then subjected to the different running protocols and speeds at two T a: 24 °C or 34 °C. All of the experimental trials resulted in marked increases in T core. As expected, the higher-temperature environment increased the magnitude of running-induced hyperthermia. For example, during incremental exercise at 34 °C, the maximal T core achieved was increased by 1.2 °C relative to the value reached at 24 °C. However, at the same T a, neither treadmill speed nor exercise protocol altered the magnitude of exercise-induced hyperthermia. We conclude that T core of running mice is influenced greatly by T a, but not by the exercise protocols or intensities examined in the present report. These findings suggest that the magnitude of hyperthermia in running mice may be regulated centrally, independently of exercise intensity.

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Acknowledgments

K.A.C. and A.D.N.S. were recipients of fellowships from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES/Brazil). This research is supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/Brazil) and the Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physical Education, School of Physical Education, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 31270-901

    Samuel Penna Wanner

  2. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 31270-901

    Samuel Penna Wanner & Cândido Celso Coimbra

  3. Department of Toxicological and Clinical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 31270-901

    Kátia Anunciação Costa, Anne Danieli Nascimento Soares & Valbert Nascimento Cardoso

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  1. Samuel Penna Wanner
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  2. Kátia Anunciação Costa
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  3. Anne Danieli Nascimento Soares
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  5. Cândido Celso Coimbra
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Correspondence to Samuel Penna Wanner.

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Wanner, S.P., Costa, K.A., Soares, A.D.N. et al. Physical exercise-induced changes in the core body temperature of mice depend more on ambient temperature than on exercise protocol or intensity. Int J Biometeorol 58, 1077–1085 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0699-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0699-y

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