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Human temperature regulation when given the opportunity to behave

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Abstract

This study aimed to test the primary hypotheses that human thermoregulatory behavior is: (1) initiated before changes in rectal or esophageal temperatures; and (2) accompanied by indiscernible differences in sweating or shivering. This was achieved by placing nine, healthy, males in a situation where they were free to move between a cold (~8 °C) and a hot (~46 °C) environment. Upon behaving [i.e., move from cold to hot (C→H) or from hot to cold (H→C)], skin, rectal, and esophageal temperatures, indices of cutaneous vasomotor tone, metabolism and evaporation, and local and whole-body thermal discomfort were recorded. Rectal temperatures were similar at H→C (37.1 ± 0.2 °C) and C→H (37.1 ± 0.2 °C); yet esophageal temperatures were higher at C→H (36.9 ± 0.2 vs. 36.8 ± 0.2 °C). Skin temperature (C→H, 28.4 ± 0.9 vs. H→C, 35.0 ± 0.6 °C) and vasomotor tone were drastically different upon the decision to behave. Metabolic heat production was lower at H→C (79 ± 10 W/m2) than at C→H (101 ± 20 W/m2), yet there were no statistical differences in evaporative heat loss (C→H, 23 ± 33 W/m2 vs. H→C, 52 ± 36 W/m2). Whole-body thermal discomfort was similar at C→H and H→C, yet there were inter-segmental differences. These findings indicate that skin temperature, not core temperature, plays a signaling role in the decision to behaviorally thermoregulate. However, this behavior does not occur in the complete absence of autonomic thermoregulatory responses.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the subjects for participating in the study. ZJS was supported by a New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarship (Education New Zealand). This study was funded by the Massey University School of Sport and Exercise post-graduate research fund.

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  1. Zachary J. Schlader

    Present address: Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, 7232 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX, 75231, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sport and Exercise, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand

    Zachary J. Schlader, Blake G. Perry, M. Rahimi Che Jusoh, Lynette D. Hodges, Stephen R. Stannard & Toby Mündel

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  1. Zachary J. Schlader
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  2. Blake G. Perry
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Correspondence to Zachary J. Schlader.

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Communicated by Narihiko Kondo.

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Schlader, Z.J., Perry, B.G., Jusoh, M.R.C. et al. Human temperature regulation when given the opportunity to behave. Eur J Appl Physiol 113, 1291–1301 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2544-0

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