Abstract #3272

Vanhoutte G, Verhoye M, Van der Linden A

We approached the study of thermoregulation in the rat using BOLD fMRI with experimental modification of body temperature (Tr) as an appropriate stimulus. Increasing BOLD signal (9%) in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus was restricted to a time period of increasing Tr (38XC39XC) and reached a plateau which sustained during subsequent Tr decrease (39.1XC37.9XC). These BOLD changes were depicted after performing region specific signal corrections in accordance to the prescence of a dense vascular network. Rising Tr causes an increase in blood temperature, modifying O2 affinity for hemoglobin and hence resulting in more deoxyhemoglobin changing susceptibility contributions.