Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 80, Issue 4 1249-1257, Copyright © 1996 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Control of skin blood flow in the neutral zone of human body temperature regulation

M. V. Savage and G. L. Brengelmann
Department of Physiology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.

In humans, matching of heat loss and heat production in the "neutral" zone, defined operationally in terms of a range of skin temperatures (Tsk), is accomplished by regulation of skin blood flow (SkBF). Our studies were designed to reveal the characteristics of control of SkBF [from measurements of forearm blood flow (FBF)] in this zone. We controlled the temperature of water sprayed on most of the body of supine men and women at 33 or 35 degrees C in a square-wave pattern (15 min at each temperature) or a step pattern (60 min at 33 degrees C separated by short periods at 35 degrees C). FBF followed Tsk (0.5 ml.min-1.degrees C-1). Esophageal temperature changed approximately 0.11 degrees C with each 2 degrees C change in Tsk, falling with Tsk increase and vice versa. Little influence on FBF, < 0.1 ml.min-1.100 ml-1. degrees C-1, was observed when only the forearm was sprayed with 33 and 35 degrees C water. We conclude that SkBF control in the 33-35 degree C range of Tsk is dominated by the feedforward reflex influence of Tsk on SkBF. The reflex response overcompensates for the effect of Tsk on thermal balance in the neutral zone, so that equilibrium core temperature has an inverse relationship to Tsk.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Nakamura and S. F. Morrison Preoptic mechanism for cold-defensive responses to skin cooling J. Physiol., May 15, 2008; 586(10): 2611 - 2620. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Engstrom and C. E. Kasper Physiology and Endocrinology of Hot Flashes in Prostate Cancer American Journal of Men's Health, March 1, 2007; 1(1): 8 - 17. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Subbian, P. K. Mehta, S. L. G. Cirillo, L. E. Bermudez, and J. D. Cirillo A Mycobacterium marinum mel2 Mutant Is Defective for Growth in Macrophages That Produce Reactive Oxygen and Reactive Nitrogen Species Infect. Immun., January 1, 2007; 75(1): 127 - 134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. B. Mekjavic and O. Eiken Contribution of thermal and nonthermal factors to the regulation of body temperature in humans J Appl Physiol, June 1, 2006; 100(6): 2065 - 2072. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L. Kellogg Jr In vivo mechanisms of cutaneous vasodilation and vasoconstriction in humans during thermoregulatory challenges J Appl Physiol, May 1, 2006; 100(5): 1709 - 1718. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. McAllen, M. Farrell, J. M. Johnson, D. Trevaks, L. Cole, M. J. McKinley, G. Jackson, D. A. Denton, and G. F. Egan Human medullary responses to cooling and rewarming the skin: A functional MRI study PNAS, January 17, 2006; 103(3): 809 - 813. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-I. Kamijo, K. Lee, and G. W. Mack Active cutaneous vasodilation in resting humans during mild heat stress J Appl Physiol, March 1, 2005; 98(3): 829 - 837. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Durand, R. Zhang, J. Cui, T. E. Wilson, and C. G. Crandall Evidence of a myogenic response in vasomotor control of forearm and palm cutaneous microcirculations J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2004; 97(2): 535 - 539. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M. Gotoh, N. Fujiki, T. Matsuda, S. Gao, and H. Morita Roles of baroreflex and vestibulosympathetic reflex in controlling arterial blood pressure during gravitational stress in conscious rats Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2004; 286(1): R25 - R30. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				N. Charkoudian Skin Blood Flow in Adult Human Thermoregulation: How It Works, When It Does Not, and Why Mayo Clin. Proc., May 1, 2003; 78(5): 603 - 612. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. A. Romanovsky, A. I. Ivanov, and Y. P. Shimansky Molecular Biology of Thermoregulation: Selected Contribution: Ambient temperature for experiments in rats: a new method for determining the zone of thermal neutrality J Appl Physiol, June 1, 2002; 92(6): 2667 - 2679. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Frank, S. N. Raja, C. F. Bulcao, and D. S. Goldstein Relative contribution of core and cutaneous temperatures to thermal comfort and autonomic responses in humans J Appl Physiol, May 1, 1999; 86(5): 1588 - 1593. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. M. Brooks, A. L. Morgan, J. M. Pierzga, S. L. Wladkowski, J. T. O'Gorman, J. A. Derr, and W. L. Kenney Chronic hormone replacement therapy alters thermoregulatory and vasomotor function in postmenopausal women J Appl Physiol, August 1, 1997; 83(2): 477 - 484. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]