[Thermoregulation in prolonged antiorthostatic hypokinesia]

By means of daily thermometry in the axillary area, a study of skin thermotopography in 10 symmetrical points of the body and a study of the Shcherbak thermoregulational reflex the author assessed the function of thermoregulation during a 49 day antiorthostatic (-4 degrees) hypokinesia. The study included 32 male volunteers from 25-39 years of age. It was demonstrated that signs of temperature discomfort appeared shortly after an antiorthostatic position was taken and was due to the initial period of blood redistribution. At the end of the first and beginning of the second month hypokinesia developed and gradual disturbances of thermoregulational dynamics progressed. They were characterized by changes of oral-caudal and proximal-distal correlations of the skin temperature (due to the drop of temperature in the distal parts) and hyporeactivity, areactivity or inversion of thermoregulational processes during the study of the Shcherbak thermoregulational reflex.