Hyperthermia and exercise performance in guinea-pigs (Cavia porcellus)

1. 1. Ten guinea-pigs with hypothalamic and subcutaneous interscapular thermocouples ran up to exhaustion at 1.5 km/h. Blood lactate concentrations were determined before and after exercise. Four animals exercised at constant ambient temperatures of 15 and 35°C and six other animals ran at variable ambient temperatures, adjusted to stabilize their hypothalamic temperature at 39.5, 40.5 and 41.5°C.

2. 2. Ambient temperature did not influence exercise performance directly. Duration of running was inversely proportional to hypothalamic temperature. There were no correlations between lactate concentration and exercise performance nor between lactate concentration and body temperatures.

3. 3. The results suggest a progressive decrease in exercise performance occurs with increasing body temperature.

Author Keywords: Cavia porcellus; exercise; exhaustion; hyperthermia; selective brain cooling; lactic acid