Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which part of the brain controls body temperature?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Vintage anatomy chart showing front and back views of the human skeletal system and muscular system, with detailed illustrations of bones and muscles. — human body Vintage anatomy charts of the human body showing the skeletal and muscle systems.

The primary part of the brain responsible for controlling body temperature is the hypothalamus.12

Functioning much like a thermostat, the hypothalamus monitors the temperature of the blood flowing through it and integrates signals from thermoreceptors located throughout the body, including the skin and spinal cord. When the body's internal temperature deviates from the optimal range, the hypothalamus initiates corrective actions to maintain homeostasis.341

These regulatory responses include:
* Heat loss: Promoting cooling through perspiration, vasodilation (widening of blood vessels in the skin), and reduced muscular activity.134
* Heat conservation and production: Initiating shivering, vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels), and metabolic adjustments to generate or retain heat.123

While the brainstem also plays a significant role in integrating these autonomic functions, the hypothalamus serves as the central regulatory hub for thermoregulation.23