Increase in oxygen consumption induced by selective spinal cord cooling in the exercising pigeon

Abstract

Six domestic pigeons with chronically implanted spinal thermodes were exercised on a treadmill at neutral ambient temperature. During the exercise the spinal cord was cooled to 34.7 +/- 0.4 degrees C (mean +/- S.E.M.). Oxygen consumption of the pigeons increased from 28.3 +/- 2.1 to 61.2 +/- 3.7 ml X min-1 X kg-1 due to exercise per se, and superimposed cooling of the spinal cord during exercise induced an additional increase in oxygen consumption to 84.9 +/- 4.5 ml X min-1 X kg-1. The result demonstrates that cooling of the spinal cord elicits shivering in exercising pigeons at thermoneutral conditions.