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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Pflugers Arch. 2012 Apr 12;465(1):167–175. doi: 10.1007/s00424-012-1096-9

Figure 4. Working model.

Figure 4

Increased activity of the brain RAS results in the activation of two major efferent signaling mechanisms; arginine vasopressin (AVP) and the sympathetic nervous system. Elevated sympathetic nervous activity (SNA) results in a direct stimulation of thermogenesis, and together with AVP, an elevation in blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure suppresses renal renin production and subsequently the activity of the peripheral (circulating and possibly adipose) RAS. Suppressed peripheral RAS activity results in increased recruitment of adaptive thermogenic mechanisms, resulting in increased total thermogenic capacity. Together, increased capacity for–and stimulation of–thermogenesis results in elevated catabolic metabolism.