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Postpartum Mice Prefer Cooler Environments, Study Finds

3/25/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Postpartum female mice are turning down the heat! Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine discovered that changes in brain neurons make these mice crave cooler environments. The estrogen receptor alpha (ER?)-expressing neurons in their brains become less sensitive to warmth and more attuned to the chill, a preference that endures for over four weeks after weaning.

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Story summary

Postpartum female mice are turning down the heat! Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine discovered that changes in brain neurons make these mice crave cooler environments. The estrogen receptor alpha (ER?)-expressing neurons in their brains become less sensitive to warmth and more attuned to the chill, a preference that endures for over four weeks after weaning.