Journal of Physiological Anthropology

Brown fat thermogenesis and cold adaptation in humans

Vol. 44, Article number: 11 (2025)

Takeshi Yoneshiro, Mami Matsushita, Juro Sakai & Masayuki Saito 

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a site of non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) in mammals. Since the rediscovery of BAT in adult humans, there has been a remarkable advance in human BAT researches, revealing the significant roles of this thermogenic tissue in cold-induced NST and cold adaptation. Cold stress influences BAT in various time spans: acute cold exposure promptly activates BAT to induce NST, which contributes to immediate maintenance of body temperature. Prolonged cold exposure recruits BAT, resulting in increased capacity of NST and improved cold tolerance. As such, BAT plays a role in acute, chronic, and transgenerational adaptation to cold environment in humans.

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Recent updates on cold adaptation in population and laboratory studies, including cross-adaptation with nonthermal factors

Vol. 44, Article number: 7 (2025)

Hitoshi Wakabayashi, Hiroyuki Sakaue & Takayuki Nishimura  

This review aims to update our understanding of human cold adaptation. First, an overview of the thermoregulatory response to cold is provided, with some recent updates in human brown adipose tissue (BAT). Variation in BAT activity and multiorgan contributions to cold-induced thermogenesis were introduced. Researchers found that individuals with less BAT activity rely more on shivering to compensate for less non-shivering thermogenesis (NST). 

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Journal of Physiological Anthropology (JPA) is the official journal of the Japan Society of Physiological Anthropology. JPA is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that publishes research on the physiological functions of modern mankind, with an emphasis on the physical and bio-cultural effects on human adaptability to the current environment.
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Journal of Physiological Anthropology is the official journal of the Japanese Society of Physiological Anthropology.
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Journal of Physiological Anthropology Best Reviewer Award 2024 is awarded to:

・ Yoshiki Yasukochi (Kansai Medical University, Japan)

For more information, please visit the award page.

Journal of Physiological Anthropology publishes special issues and collection of papers on the select topics of recent interest within the scope of the journal. See the list of article collections and special issues here. 

Legacy content

Articles published in Journal of Physiological Anthropology since 1996 (volume 15) are open access and fully accessible from the following link.