Temperature control

• Thermoregulatory centre


  Part of the brain that monitors and controls body temperature
• Thermoregulatory centre


  • Has receptors sensitive to the temperature of the blood flowing through the brain
• Temperature receptors in the skin


  Send impulses to the thermoregulatory centre, giving information about skin temperature
• If the core body temperature is too high


  1. Blood vessels supplying the skin capillaries dilate so that more blood flows through the capillaries and more energy is transferred from the skin to the environment

  2. Sweat glands release more sweat, which cools the body as sweat evaporates
• Sweating


  Helps to cool the body
• When it is hot

  More water is lost, and more fluid has to be taken through drink or food to balance this loss
• If the core body temperature is too low

  1. Blood vessels supplying the skin capillaries constrict to reduce the flow of blood through the capillaries

  2. Muscles may 'shiver' – their contraction needs respiration, which transfers some energy to warm the body