Mechanisms of the thermogenic action of noradrenaline during adaptation to cold

In white rats both adapted and unadapted to cold, the RQ dynamics during cold exposure, noradrenaline and ganglion blocking agent administration, were studied. The adapted animals' RQ in thermoneutral conditions was shown to be a little higher than in the control rats; 0.5 mg/kg noradrenaline injections induced a clear RQ decrease in the former and did not influence the latters' RQ. Cold exposure was followed by a RQ decrease in both. Ganglion blocking agent administration decreased the RQ in the adapted animals and prevented it from falling in the control those. Noradrenaline is supposed to be the main but not the only factor activating lipolysis in the cold adapted animals.