The effect of centrally and peripherally administered dopamine D1 and D2 specific compounds on core body temperature in mice was investigated. Quinpirole (LY-17155), a D2 agonist, induced a dose-dependent fall in body temperature (2.4-11.6%; p less than 0.003) when injected intraperitoneally (ip, 0.3-3.0 mg/kg) and intracerebroventricularly (icv, 0.1 mg/kg). This quinpirole-induced (1.0 mg/kg, ip) hypothermia was reversed by the central and peripheral administration of the D2 antagonists S-(-)-sulpiride (3.0-30.0 mg/kg, ip; 0.1-3.0 mg/kg, icv) and spiperone (0.03 and 0.1 mg/kg, ip; 0.03-3.0 mg/kg, icv). Domperidone, a D2 antagonist which does not cross the blood brain barrier, had no effect on quinpirole-induced hypothermia (1.0-10.0 mg/kg, ip). Domperidone partially reversed quinpirole-induced hypothermia at 0.1-30.0 mg/kg, icv. The D1 agonist, SKF-38393 at a high dose of 10.0 mg/kg, ip mildly attenuated quinpirole-induced hypothermia (a 1.8% increase in temperature). SKF-38393 at 10.0 mg/kg, icv potentiated quinpirole-induced hypothermia. SCH-23390 (0.1-3.0 mg/kg, ip), a D1 antagonist, had no effect on quinpirole-induced hypothermia and potentiated the hypothermia when administered icv. An ineffective icv dose of spiperone (0.01 mg/kg) in reversing quinpirole-induced hypothermia was rendered effective by prior administration of SCH-23390 (0.1-3.0 mg/kg, icv) but not by SKF-38393 (1.0-10.0 mg/kg, icv). These data suggest a central D2 receptor mechanism mediating hypothermia in mice which is capable of being modulated by the D1 receptor.