THE FACTORS INVLUENCING THE REACTION OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX TO COLD (FAKTORY OVPLYVNUJUCE REAKCIU PODY NADOBLICIEK NA CHLAD),
Abstract
A strong influence of various nonspecific factors on adrenocortical activity was observed during acute-cold experiments on rats and humans. Factors which may activate the adrenal cortex to the point that the influence of the actual temperature change in the environment may be obscured are, e.g., distribution of animals into individual cages, their transfer, even into a chamber with normal temperature, tension and insecurity before an experiment or, in humans, before an examination, anxiety before blood-sample withdrawal, seasonal state of adaptation of the organism, verbal suggestion of a certain experimental situation, etc. The influence of these factors in rats can be suppressed by a lesion in the posterior hypothalamus, which demonstrates an important link in the mechanism of these reactions. The dissociation of the unspecific accompanying stimuli from the cold stimulus proper was achieved by using the 'microclimator.' The results of the experiments in humans indicate the necessity of revising the concept of 'normal' levels (e.g., of 17-OHCS in plasma) and they speak for the use of the expression 'basal levels,' which would reflect the dynamics of the given function with respect to individual variability. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 20, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0839423
Entities
People
- V. Jonec
Organizations
- National Air and Space Intelligence Center