Vol. 92, Issue 3, 1029-1035, March 2002
Thermal regulation and comfort during a mild-cold exposure in
young Japanese women complaining of unusual coldness
Kei
Nagashima,
Tamae
Yoda,
Tomoko
Yagishita,
Aki
Taniguchi,
Takayoshi
Hosono, and
Kazuyuki
Kanosue
Department of Physiology, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine
School of Allied Health Sciences, Yamadaoka 1-7, Suita 565-0871, Japan
We
examined body core and skin temperatures and thermal comfort in young
Japanese women suffering from unusual coldness (C, n = 6). They were selected by interview asking whether they often felt
severe coldness even in an air-conditioned environment (20-26°C) and compared with women not suffering from coldness (N,
n = 6). Experiments were conducted twice for each
subject: 120-min exposure at 23.5°C or 29.5°C after a 40-min
baseline at 29.5°C. Mean skin temperature decreased
(P < 0.05) from 33.6 ± 0.1°C (mean ± SE) to 31.1 ± 0.1°C and from 33.5 ± 0.1°C to 31.1 ± 0.1°C in C and N during the 23.5°C exposure. Fingertip temperature
in C decreased more than in N (P < 0.05; from
35.2 ± 0.1°C to 23.6 ± 0.2°C and from 35.5 ± 0.1°C to 25.6 ± 0.6°C). Those temperatures during the
29.5°C exposure remained at the baseline levels. Rectal temperature during the 23.5°C exposure was maintained at the baseline level in
both groups (from 36.9 ± 0.2°C to 36.8 ± 0.1°C and
37.1 ± 0.1°C to 37.0 ± 0.1°C in C and N). The rating
scores of cold discomfort for both the body and extremities were
greater (P < 0.05) in C than in N. Thus the augmented
thermal sensitivity of the body to cold and activated vasoconstriction
of the extremities during cold exposure could be the mechanism for the
severe coldness felt in C.
thermal sensation; metabolism; thyroid function