ROLE OF THE PROSENCEPHALON IN SHIVERING 
studies in that electrical stimulation of a limbic structure, the 
septum, was shown to affect shivering, yet following ablation of the 
septum, there was no measureable alteration in shivering's meta- 
bolic effectiveness. 
The stimulation data indicated with respect to the modulation of 
shivering, the septum could be separated into medial and lateral 
regions. It was also mentioned that there is as yet no anatomical 
basis for assuming efferent lateral septal projections to the pos- 
terior hypothalamus and medial projections to the anterior hj^o- 
thalamus. Additionally, the similar intensity of shivering with 
medial vs. lateral septal lesions would suggest one of three alter- 
natives: 
1. The electrical stimulation data are faulty in suggesting a 
topographic organization of the septum with respect to shivering. 
2. The metabolic method of measuring shivering intensity is 
too crude to detect subtle differences evoked by septal destruction. 
3 . The septal influence on the hypothalamus is tonically "silent" 
only coming into play when either hyperactivated by electrical 
stimulation or possibly during the formation of reflexes based on 
classical Pavlovian conditioning or hypnotic suggestions. 
My opinion is that the first alternative is acceptable for the 
posterior septum but not for the midseptum. The second alternative 
is of little value in this form of experimentation in that shivering 
intensity waxes and wanes, increasing the oxygen consumption from 
two to fourfold in the same or a sequence of cats from day to day. 
The third alternative is the most attractive, but is subject to exper- 
imental proof involving the recording of electrical activity of dif- 
ferent septal loci in unanesthetized animals during: 
1. the nonshivering state. 
2. the cold-induced shivering state. 
3. the conditioned reflex shivering suppressed state. 
4. the conditioned reflex induced shivering state. 
Since the last three have neverbeen attempted, the task, though 
formidable, appears of considerable value in elucidating the role of 
the telencephalon in such a primarily hypothalamic controlled phen- 
omenon such as shivering. 
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