Measurement of Sweating and Sweat Gland Function

Abstract

Investigations of the sweat response are usually made for one or more of three purposes. First, for the evaporative component of human thermoregulation and water and electrolyte balance in hot ambient conditions; second, in diagnostic and clinical investigations (including galvanic skin response); third, for fundamental investigations of the physiology and pharmacology of the exocrine glands. The method selected depends largely on the requirements of the investigation. In fluid balance studies, measurement of total body sweat and cutaneous electrolyte loss calls for whole-body studies. Diagnostic tests of sweating usually involve the induction and measurement of sweating in localised areas. For investigations of secretory function at the cellular level, micro-techniques have been developed which can be applied to the study of the isolated gland.