The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is recognized as a major site of autonomic control, but the role of this nucleus in thermoregulation is unclear. Therefore the role of the PVN in the febrile response and in the maintenance of normal body temperature was investigated. Conscious, unrestrained rats with chronic lesions of the PVN received intracerebroventricular injections of several doses of prostaglandin (PG) E2 or intraperitoneal applications of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. The body temperatures of both lesioned and sham-operated animals, monitored via radio telemetry, were compared. Intracerebroventricular PGE2 at doses of 10, 25, and 50 ng caused dose-dependent fevers in both PVN-lesioned and sham-operated animals, which at lower doses were smaller in the lesioned animals than in the sham-operated animals. Intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide application, 50 micrograms/kg body wt, evoked a significantly lower febrile response in PVN-lesioned animals than in controls. The body temperature of PVN-lesioned animals and controls showed no difference during 300 min of exposure to heat (32 degrees C) or cold (7 degrees C). These results suggest that the PVN contributes to the complex regulation of temperature during the febrile response but not during the maintenance of normal body temperature.