Drug modification of hypothermia induced by CNS glucopenia in the mouse.

2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), insulin, or norepinephrine (NE), when injected into the cerebral ventricles of conscious mice, produce decreased rates of O2 consumption and hypothermia. These changes are accompanied by hyperglycemia with 2-DG, hypoglycemia with insulin, and normoglycemia with NE. Desipramine blocks the reduction in body temperature and O2 consumption produced by each of these agents, but does not modify significantly their effects on plasma glucose. The latter suggests that the thermal and oxidative responses to central glucopenia can be dissociated from concurrent alterations in circulating glucose. Propranolol enhances the hypothermic response produced by administered 2-DG, insulin, or NE. Phentolamine, however, antagonizes the hypothermia only with NE, indicating the 2-DG and insulin are probably not acting through the release of endogenous NE.