Impaired thermoregulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats during physical exercise is related to reduced hypothalamic neuronal activation.

This study aimed to evaluate the physical exercise-induced neuronal activation in brain nuclei controlling thermoregulatory responses in hypertensive and normotensive rats. Sixteen-week-old male normotensive Wistar rats (NWRs) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were implanted with an abdominal temperature sensor. After recovery, the animals were subjected to a constant-speed treadmill running (at 60% of the maximum aerobic speed) for 30 min at 25 °C. Core (Tcore) and tail-skin (Tskin) temperatures were measured every minute during exercise. Ninety minutes after the exercise, the rats were euthanized, and their brains were collected to determine the c-Fos protein expression in the following areas that modulate thermoregulatory responses: medial preoptic area (mPOA), paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN), and supraoptic nucleus (SON). During treadmill running, the SHR group exhibited a greater increase in Tcore and an augmented threshold for cutaneous heat loss relative to the NWR group. In addition, the SHRs showed reduced neuronal activation in the mPOA (< 49.7%) and PVN (< 44.2%), but not in the SON. The lower exercise-induced activation in the mPOA and PVN in hypertensive rats was strongly related to the delayed onset of cutaneous heat loss. We conclude that the enhanced exercise-induced hyperthermia in hypertensive rats can be partially explained by a delayed cutaneous heat loss, which is, in turn, associated with reduced activation of brain areas modulating thermoregulatory responses.

Comparative effects of two heat acclimation protocols consisting of high-intensity interval training in the heat on aerobic performance and thermoregulatory responses in exercising rats.

Acclimation resulting from low- to moderate-intensity physical exertion in the heat induces several thermoregulatory adaptations, including slower exercise-induced increases in core body temperature. However, few studies have investigated the thermoregulatory adaptations induced by high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols. Thus, the present study aimed to compare the adaptations in rats' thermoregulatory parameters and aerobic performance observed after two different heat acclimation regimens consisting of HIIT protocols performed in a hot environment. Twenty-three adult male Wistar rats were initially subjected to an incremental-speed exercise at 32°C until they were fatigued and then randomly assigned to one of the following three heat acclimation strategies: passive heat exposure without any exercise (untrained controls-UN; n = 7), HIIT performed at the maximal aerobic speed (HIIT100%; n = 8) and HIIT performed at a high but submaximal speed (HIIT85%; n = 8). Following the two weeks of interventions, the rats were again subjected to a fatiguing incremental exercise at 32°C, while their colonic temperature (TCOL) was recorded. The workload performed by the rats and their thermoregulatory efficiency were calculated. After the intervention period, rats subjected to both HIIT protocols attained greater workloads (HIIT100%: 313.7 ± 21.9 J vs. HIIT85%: 318.1 ± 32.6 J vs. UN: 250.8 ± 32.4 J; p < 0.01) and presented a lower ratio between the change in TCOL and the distance travelled (HIIT100%: 4.95 ± 0.42°C/km vs. HIIT85%: 4.33 ± 0.59°C/km vs. UN: 6.14 ± 1.03°C/km; p < 0.001) when compared to UN rats. The latter finding indicates better thermoregulatory efficiency in trained animals. No differences were observed between rats subjected to the two HIIT regimens. In conclusion, the two HIIT protocols induce greater thermoregulatory adaptations and performance improvements than passive heat exposure. These adaptations do not differ between the two training protocols investigated in the present study.

Brain Temperature in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats during Physical Exercise in Temperate and Warm Environments.

This study aimed to evaluate brain temperature (Tbrain) changes in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) subjected to two different physical exercise protocols in temperate or warm environments. We also investigated whether hypertension affects the kinetics of exercise-induced increases in Tbrain relative to the kinetics of abdominal temperature (Tabd) increases. Male 16-week-old normotensive Wistar rats (NWRs) and SHRs were implanted with an abdominal temperature sensor and a guide cannula in the frontal cortex to enable the insertion of a thermistor to measure Tbrain. Next, the animals were subjected to incremental-speed (initial speed of 10 m/min; speed was increased by 1 m/min every 3 min) or constant-speed (60% of the maximum speed) treadmill running until they were fatigued in a temperate (25°C) or warm (32°C) environment. Tbrain, Tabd and tail skin temperature were measured every min throughout the exercise trials. During incremental and constant exercise at 25°C and 32°C, the SHR group exhibited greater increases in Tbrain and Tabd relative to the NWR group. Irrespective of the environment, the heat loss threshold was attained at higher temperatures (either Tbrain or Tabd) in the SHRs. Moreover, the brain-abdominal temperature differential was lower at 32°C in the SHRs than in the NWRs during treadmill running. Overall, we conclude that SHRs exhibit enhanced brain hyperthermia during exercise and that hypertension influences the kinetics of the Tbrain relative to the Tabd increases, particularly during exercise in a warm environment.

Thermoregulatory responses in exercising rats: methodological aspects and relevance to human physiology.

Rats are used worldwide in experiments that aim to investigate the physiological responses induced by a physical exercise session. Changes in body temperature regulation, which may affect both the performance and the health of exercising rats, are evident among these physiological responses. Despite the universal use of rats in biomedical research involving exercise, investigators often overlook important methodological issues that hamper the accurate measurement of clear thermoregulatory responses. Moreover, much debate exists regarding whether the outcome of rat experiments can be extrapolated to human physiology, including thermal physiology. Herein, we described the impact of different exercise intensities, durations and protocols and environmental conditions on running-induced thermoregulatory changes. We focused on treadmill running because this type of exercise allows for precise control of the exercise intensity and the measurement of autonomic thermoeffectors associated with heat production and loss. Some methodological issues regarding rat experiments, such as the sites for body temperature measurements and the time of day at which experiments are performed, were also discussed. In addition, we analyzed the influence of a high body surface area-to-mass ratio and limited evaporative cooling on the exercise-induced thermoregulatory responses of running rats and then compared these responses in rats to those observed in humans. Collectively, the data presented in this review represent a reference source for investigators interested in studying exercise thermoregulation in rats. In addition, the present data indicate that the thermoregulatory responses of exercising rats can be extrapolated, with some important limitations, to human thermal physiology.