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Thermoregulation is one of the basic phenomena that ensures the maintenance of homeostasis in the human body - it is thanks to it that we basically have the same body temperature all the time. However, the phenomena through which the human body has the ability to maintain a constant temperature - at least under normal conditions - is definitely more complicated than one might suppose.
Thermoregulationhas a direct impact on maintaining homeostasis. Hemostasis is the term used to describe the ability to maintain constant conditions within the body. It consists of very different processes, both those related to maintaining a constant volume of intracorporeal fluids, as well as those related to maintaining a constant arterial blood pressure or the pH of fluids circulating in the human body.
Thermoregulation: controlling center
The center of thermoregulationis present in the hypothalamus - it is sometimes colloquially referred to as the body's thermostat. The cells in it receive information from many different receptors (known as thermoreceptors), which are located, for example, in the skin, but also in various other organs.
The thermoregulation center usually has a "set" temperature that should prevail inside the body - it typically oscillates around 37 degrees Celsius, but there are some individual differences between people and some people have slightly higher and others slightly lower basal body temperature.
But why is maintaining a constant temperature so important? Well, because it enables the proper course of all processes in the body. The need to maintain an appropriate body temperature results, for example, from what substances are involved in metabolic processes - the enzymes that are responsible for the course of various reactions are proteins. If the body temperature becomes too high - that is, it exceeds 40 degrees Celsius - they could degenerate.
The thermoregulation center is in direct contact with other centers located within the nervous system, such as a vascular center or a center that stimulates the activity of the sympathetic system.
Communication between all these centers makes it possible to influence the course of processes during which heat is generated andwhich are:
- basic metabolism
- skeletal muscle activity
- digestion and absorption of food in the digestive tract
Thermoregulation: mechanisms
By influencing various other centers, the hypothalamus can lead to both a decrease and an increase in body temperature. In a situation where it is necessary to increase the body temperature (e.g. due to staying in a cool environment), then:
- constriction of blood vessels located in the skin (this prevents heat loss from the body)
- stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (thermoregulation can occur due to the increased release of catecholamines from nerve endings - they accelerate the course of metabolic processes during which heat is generated)
- stimulation of the thyroid gland (which increases the release of thyroid hormones - they accelerate the pace of metabolic processes)
- stimulation of muscle cells (then they start to tremble, which also promotes the production of heat in the body)
Which is certainly perfectly understandable, when the body overheats, and it is necessary for thermoregulation to be able to restore the temperature to the correct values, considerably different phenomena occur. In order to maintain the correct body temperature, the following can be carried out:
- widening of the blood vessels in the skin (it helps to lose heat from the body)
- stimulation of the sweat glands (heat is then lost along with sweat)
- inhibition of muscle cell activity (reducing trembling reduces heat production)
Thermoregulation: disturbances
There are two conditions in which the body temperature is abnormal - here we are talking about hypothermia and hyperthermia. The first of these phenomena is said to be when the human body temperature is 35 degrees Celsius or less. It may be caused by prolonged exposure to low temperatures, but also by hormonal disorders (such as, for example, hypothyroidism).
Hyperthermia is defined differently, but usually an increase in body temperature reaching 42-43 degrees Celsius is considered dangerous. The cause of this disorder may be staying in a very hot environment for a long time, but also various diseases (e.g. hyperthyroidism) or sunstroke.
About the authorBow. Tomasz NęckiA graduate of medicine at the Medical University of Poznań. An admirer of the Polish sea (most willingly strolling along its shores with headphones in his ears), cats and books. At workwith patients, focusing on always listening to them and spending as much time as they need.Read more articles by this author