THE RESPONSE OF THE THYROID GLAND TO A LOW ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE AS STUDIED WITH RADIOIODINE

• Main Authors: Schachner, H. G., Gierlach, Z. S., Krebs, A. T.
• Other Authors: ARMY MEDICAL RESEARCH LAB FORT KNOX KY
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1949
• Subjects: Stress Physiology; (*THYROID GLAND); EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY); STRESS(PHYSIOLOGY); TRACER STUDIES; RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES; IODINE; METABOLISM; RATS; COLD WEATHER TESTS; Arctic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0493349; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0493349

Limited studies by this laboratory of basal metabolic rates of men exposed to cold in an Arctic environment did not reveal any demonstrable change in energy metabolism. In order to determine the effects of varying amounts of cold exposure on thyroid function, studies were carried out on rats using the uptake of radioiodine as a measure of the functional activity of the gland. Male rats were exposed to 4 + or - 0.5 C for periods of from 2 hours through 60 days. A diminished amount of radioiodine was found to be present in the experimental animals at exposure intervals under 6 hours. The amount present at about 6 hours was the same as for the controls and increased after 12 to 24 hours. The increased uptake was most pronounced at 7 to 9 days and gradually returned to control values by 40 days.