Chronic heat stress alters hypothalamus integrity, the serum indexes and attenuates expressions of hypothalamic appetite genes in broilers

In conclusion, HS increased the surface temperature of head in broiler, and then altered the integrity of hypothalamus. Meanwhile, HS increased the serum corticosterone which may ascribe to the activation of HPA axis in the broilers. In addition, chronic heat stress decreased the expression of orexigenic gene NPY, which may cause the broiler to reduce feed intake.
Source: Journal of Thermal Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: research