Studied age-related peculiarities of the adipose tissue structure of the spinal cord epidural spaceas a morphofunctional complex of heat-releasing, heat-distributing and thermoregulating formations, providing operation of spinal center of thermoregulation.

The study was conducted using anatomical and histological techniques on the bodies of 70 people (10 fetus 12 weeks and older, 60 children and adults) who died of diseases not related to pathology of the vertebral column.

Proved the existence of specific morphological and functional complex of heat-releasing, heat-distributing and thermoregulating formations of the epidural space and intervertebral holes, providing adequate work of spinal center of thermoregulation to maintain body temperature at a constant level. This morphofunctional complex is represented by: heat-releasing structures consisting of adipose tissue the epidural space, generating endogenous heat through thermogenesis and heat-distributing venous plexus of the spinal cord, epidural space and intervertebral holes.

It is shown that the joint activities of heat-releasing and heat-distributing structures located around the spinal center of thermoregulation, forms a single anatomic system, which, through the somatic and autonomic paraspinal reflex zones contributes to maintaining body temperature at a constant level.