Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives01:14

Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives

4.0K
The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
4.0K
Pigmentation01:19

Pigmentation

4.8K
The color of the skin is influenced by a number of pigments, including melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. Recall that melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes, which are found scattered throughout the stratum basale of the epidermis. The melanin is transferred to the keratinocytes via melanosomes.
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
4.8K
Skin Diseases and Disorders01:23

Skin Diseases and Disorders

6.0K
Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
6.0K
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

8.0K
Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
8.0K
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

10.5K
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
10.5K
Epistasis01:39

Epistasis

50.9K
In addition to multiple alleles at the same locus influencing traits, numerous genes or alleles at different locations may interact and influence phenotypes in a phenomenon called epistasis. For example, rabbit fur can be black or brown depending on whether the animal is homozygous dominant or heterozygous at a TYRP1 locus. However, if the rabbit is also homozygous recessive at a locus on the tyrosinase gene (TYR), it will have an unshaded coat that appears white, regardless of its TYRP1...
50.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Peripheral Inflammation and Sleep Loss Induce Coordinated Motivational Changes: An Experimental Two-Hit Stress Model.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same author

Obesity, low-grade inflammation, and inflammatory response to immune challenge modulate willingness to expend effort for reward.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026
Same author

The Potential of Ensemble-Based Automated Sleep Staging on Single-Channel EEG Signal From a Wearable Device.

Journal of sleep research·2026
Same author

Quick Returns: A Quasi-Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance.

Journal of sleep research·2025
Same author

Associations between chronotype and psychiatric symptoms across the adult lifespan.

Translational psychiatry·2025
Same author

The motivational drives of sickness: Acute changes in self-rated motivation during experimental endotoxemia assessed with the newly developed Motivation Scale of Sickness (MOSSick).

Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology·2025
Same journal

Kynurenine pathway profiles as markers of ketamine response in treatment-resistant depression.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026
Same journal

Microglial brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) supports the behavioral and synaptogenic effects of ketamine.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026
Same journal

Hippocampal C5a-C5aR1 axis drives age-related memory decline via collapsing synaptic chloride homeostasis.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026
Same journal

Bifidobacterium bifidum TMC3115-RAW264.7 cell conditioned mediums promote the synaptic development of primary hippocampal neuron via activating IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026
Same journal

T cells contribute to approaching positive but potentially risky stimuli through medial prefrontal cortex immune modulation.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026
Same journal

Insulin modulates mPFC gene expression and emotional behavior in a sex-specific manner following fetal growth restriction.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
12:37

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

Published on: September 7, 2013

18.9K

Skin colour changes during experimentally-induced sickness.

Audrey J Henderson1, Julie Lasselin2, Mats Lekander3

  • 1School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
|November 17, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Human skin color changes rapidly during acute sickness. This study found early changes in facial and arm skin color within 1-3 hours after a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection, indicating sickness onset.

Keywords:
BloodCarotenoidsInflammationLipopolysaccharideSickness responseSkin colourSpectrophotometry

More Related Videos

Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose MED Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response
06:31

Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose MED Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response

Published on: October 3, 2019

9.3K
Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
09:03

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

10.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
12:37

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

Published on: September 7, 2013

18.9K
Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose MED Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response
06:31

Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose MED Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response

Published on: October 3, 2019

9.3K
Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
09:03

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

10.1K

Area of Science:

  • Human physiology
  • Biomedical science

Background:

  • Skin color is a potential indicator of human health.
  • The relationship between acute sickness and skin color changes is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how skin color changes in response to acute sickness.
  • To determine the timing and nature of these color alterations.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized cross-over study involving 22 healthy participants.
  • Administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or placebo, with skin color measured spectrophotometrically over 8 hours.
  • Assessment of plasma carotenoid levels to correlate with skin yellowness.

Main Results:

  • Facial skin became lighter and less red 1-3 hours post-LPS injection.
  • Arm skin became darker, less red, and less yellow.
  • Plasma carotenoids decreased from 3 hours onwards, but timing did not fully align with skin color changes.

Conclusions:

  • Acute sickness induces early, measurable changes in human skin color.
  • These color shifts occur before significant changes in plasma carotenoids, suggesting other physiological mechanisms.
  • Skin color changes may serve as an early visual cue for sickness.