Effect of local cooling on sweating rate and cold sensation

Subjects resting in a 39 degrees C environment were stimulated in different skin regions with a water cooled thermode. This local cooling produced decreases in sweating rate measured at the thigh and increases in magnitude estimates of the cold sensation. The are of cold stimulation varied from 111 cm2 to 384 cm2. Sensitivity coefficients of the changes in sweating rate and magnitude estimate were corrected for differences in size of the area of stimulation and change in skin temperature and were normalized to the responses of the chest. The normalized coefficients showed the following relative sensitivities for changes in sweat rate and magnitude estimate respectively: forehead 3.3, 2.2; back 1.2, 1.4; lower leg 1.1, 0.9; chest 1.0, 1.0; thigh 0.9, 1.0; abdomen 0.8, 0.8. Varying the area stimulated from 122 cm2 to 384 cm2 produced greater changes in the sweating response than in the magnitude estimate. Rate of skin cooling during the period of stimulation had more effect on the sweating response than on the magnitude estimate. We conclude that cooling different body regions produces generally equivalent changes in the sweat rate and sensation, with the forehead showing a much greater sensitivity per unit area and temperature decrease than other areas.