In vivo mechanisms of cutaneous vasodilation and vasoconstriction in humans during thermoregulatory challenges

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) Vol. 100; no. 5; pp. 1709 - 1718
• Main Author: Kellogg, D. L., Jr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Am Physiological Soc 01.05.2006; American Physiological Society
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Blood vessels; Body Temperature Regulation - physiology; Circulatory system; Cold Temperature; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heat Stress Disorders; Human subjects; Humans; Neuropeptide Y - physiology; Nitric Oxide - physiology; Regional Blood Flow - physiology; Skin; Skin - blood supply; Skin - innervation; Skin Physiological Phenomena; Sympathetic Nervous System - physiology; Temperature effects; Vasoconstriction - physiology; Vasodilation - physiology; Human; skin blood flow; Temperature; Cold; Vasoconstriction; Thermoregulation; Environmental factor; cold stress; Stress; Vasodilation; Blood flow; In vivo; heat stress; Vasomotricity; Vertebrata; Heat; Mammalia; Skin; Hemodynamics; cotransmission
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01071.2005

Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital Division; and Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas This review focuses on the neural and local mechanisms that have been demonstrated to effect cutaneous vasodilation and vasoconstriction in response to heat and cold stress in vivo in humans. First, our present understanding of the mechanisms by which sympathetic cholinergic nerves mediate cutaneous active vasodilation during reflex responses to whole body heating is discussed. These mechanisms include roles for cotransmission as well as nitric oxide (NO). Next, the mechanisms by which sympathetic noradrenergic nerves mediate cutaneous active vasoconstriction during whole body cooling are reviewed, including cotransmission by neuropeptide Y (NPY) acting through NPY Y1 receptors. Subsequently, current concepts for the mechanisms that effect local cutaneous vascular responses to direct skin warming are examined. These mechanisms include the roles of temperature-sensitive afferent neurons as well as NO in causing vasodilation during local heating of skin. This section is followed by a review of the mechanisms that cause local cutaneous vasoconstriction in response to direct cooling of the skin, including the dependence of these responses on intact sensory and sympathetic, noradrenergic innervation as well as roles for nonneural mechanisms. Finally, unresolved issues that warrant further research on mechanisms that control cutaneous vascular responses to heating and cooling are discussed. thermoregulation; heat stress; cold stress; skin blood flow; cotransmission Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: D. L. Kellogg, Jr., Div. of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Dept. of Medicine, Univ. of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229 (e-mail: kelloggd{at}uthscsa.edu )