Role of voluntary motor activity on menthol-induced hyperthermia in mice

1.This study tested the hypothesis that activating cutaneous TRPM8 receptors by menthol causes an increase in voluntary activity, because of a heat-seeking behavior, that contributes to menthol-induced hyperthermia in mice.2.Menthol treatments resulted in increased core temperature and motor activity, and indices calculated from these variables were correlated, whether the experiments were performed during day or night.3.Menthol-treated mice exposed to uniformly or partially heated cages had lower voluntary activity than when exposed to unheated cages.4.These results suggest that menthol-induced hyperthermia in mice is partly caused by an increase in voluntary activity resulting from a heat-seeking behavior.