Release of brain dopamine as the probable mechanism for the hypothermic effect of D-amphetamine

THE effects of D-amphetamine on the colonic temperature of rats depend on the ambient temperature¹. Rats kept in cold environments (4°-15°C, relative humidity 45%) exhibit profound hypothermia for at least 90 min after receiving D-amphetamine (7.5-15 mg/kg, given intraperitoneally). The same doses cause marked hyperthermia among rats kept at room temperature (20°C) or in a warm environment (37°C). The evidence we report here suggests that the D-amphetamine-induced hypothermia is mediated by the release of dopamine from brain neurones.