Circadian variation of sweating responses to passive heat stress

Abstract

The aim of present study was to examine whether sweating responses to passive heat stress change with the circadian rhythm of internal temperature. Six men had their legs immersed in water at 42 °C for 60 min in an ambient temperature of 28 °C on four separate days. Experiments were conducted at four different times [06.00 h (morning), 12.00 h (daytime), 18.00 h (evening) and 24.00 h (night)]. We measured oesophageal temperature (T(oes)), mean body temperature (T̄(b)), local sweating rate (m(sw)) on the forehead, back, forearm and thigh, the densities of activated sweat gland (ASG) on the back, forearm and thigh, and the frequency of sweat expulsion per minute (F(sw)) which has been suggested to represent central sudomotor activity. Sweat gland output (SGO) on each site was calculated by dividing m(sw) by ASG. ASG was significantly higher on the forearm than on the back and thigh, and SGO was significantly lower on the forearm than on the back and thigh. However, ASG and SGO did not significantly change over the day. T̄(b) and T(oes) thresholds for the onset of sweating showed a significant change with both the temperature rhythms at rest prior to each procedure, while the slopes of the relationships F(sw)- T̄(b) and m(sw) - F(sw), showed no significant difference over the day. We suggest that the circadian variation of sweating response to passive heat stress is regulated by a central sudomotor mechanism rather than by sweat gland function.