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Effect of 21 days of horizontal bed rest on behavioural thermoregulation

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Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of 21 days of horizontal bed rest on cutaneous cold and warm sensitivity, and on behavioural temperature regulation. Healthy male subjects (N = 10) were accommodated in a hospital ward for the duration of the study and were under 24-h medical care. All activities (eating, drinking, hygiene, etc.) were conducted in the horizontal position. On the 1st and 22nd day of bed rest, cutaneous temperature sensitivity was tested by applying cold and warm stimuli of different magnitudes to the volar region of the forearm via a Peltier element thermode. Behavioural thermoregulation was assessed by having the subjects regulate the temperature of the water within a water-perfused suit (T wps) they were wearing. A control unit established a sinusoidal change in T wps, such that it varied from 27 to 42°C. The subjects could alter the direction of the change of T wps, when they perceived it as thermally uncomfortable. The magnitude of the oscillations towards the end of the trial was assumed to represent the upper and lower boundaries of the thermal comfort zone. The cutaneous threshold for detecting cold stimulus decreased (P < 0.05) from 1.6 (1.0)°C on day 1 to 1.0 (0.3)°C on day 22. No effect was observed on the ability to detect warm stimuli or on the regulated T wps. We conclude that although cold sensitivity increased after bed rest, it was not of sufficient magnitude to cause any alteration in behavioural thermoregulatory responses.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported, in part, by a Knowledge for Security and Peace Grant to I.B.M. from the Ministry of Defence (Republic of Slovenia), the Italian Space Agency (Osteoporosis and Muscle Atrophy, OSMA Project) and the Regione Firuli Venezia Giulia (LR11).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Daniel Yogev & Igor B. Mekjavic

  2. School of Technology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology, Berzelius v. 13, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden

    Ola Eiken

  3. Science Research Centre, University of Primorska, Garibaldijeva 1, 5000, Koper, Slovenia

    Rado Pisot

  4. Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical, Morphological and Technological Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy

    Gianni Biolo

  5. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, 33100, Udine, Italy

    Pietro di Prampero

  6. Institute for Biomedical Research into Human Movement and Health (IRM), Manchester Metropolitan University, Alsager, ST7 2HL, UK

    Marco Narici

Authors
  1. Daniel Yogev
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  2. Ola Eiken
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  3. Rado Pisot
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  4. Gianni Biolo
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  5. Pietro di Prampero
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  6. Marco Narici
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  7. Igor B. Mekjavic
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Igor B. Mekjavic.

Additional information

Communicated by George Havenith, Susan A. Ward.

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Yogev, D., Eiken, O., Pisot, R. et al. Effect of 21 days of horizontal bed rest on behavioural thermoregulation. Eur J Appl Physiol 108, 281–288 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1202-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1202-7

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