Thank you Alexander -- yes, temperature science allows for easy wordplays

Summary: Different TRP channels shape how warmth is sensed: Trpv1 helps detect fast changes, Trpm2 supports stable warm preference. Curious to hear your thoughts.

We modeled mouse behavior with a drift-diffusion model: Trpv1-KO mice have less fidelity in detecting warm temp differences but compensate with higher sampling rate leading to an overall preference similar to wildtype mice. Trpm2-KOs fail to accumulate temp evidence, losing 31°C preference.

In agreement with this idea: in mice overexpressing Trpv1, neurons respond to warmth faster—and in the behavior assay the mice quickly lock onto 31°C, switching rooms less than wildtypes (purple: Trpv1 overexpressor mice; grey wildtypes).

Calcium imaging of cultured neurons reveals Trpv1 mediates the rapid neuronal response to warming, and less the steady-state signal. This suggests that the rate of temperature increase might be encoded by Trpv1 (each triangle is the responds onset to the warmth stimulus; x-axis: time in seconds)

Tracking data shows Trpv1-KOs switch rooms more often—possibly compensating for difficulty sensing warmth.. (Yellow = TRPV1 KO mice)

Trpv1-KO mice behave similar to wildtypes overall, but show trouble deciding early on (see above) —suggesting a delay in detecting the warmth difference.

Trpm2-KO mice no longer prefer 31°C and spend equal time at 34–38°C, suggesting Trpm2 is key for selecting innocuous warm temps.

Compared to floor-only tests, the chamber assay better detects subtle warm temp differences. Mice prefer temps nearer their thermoneutral zone (~31°C). Pink = chamber; black = classic plate assay.

So we built a chamber-based assay where we can precisely control full-room temps (including floor) via Peltier elements. Mice choose between two rooms via a tunnel (but don’t linger there!).

Ambient temperature is a whole-body experience —but most tests only use heated floors, mainly probing paw/snout sensitivity. These setups might also alter room temp unpredictably, which is rarely measured/reported.