Cold-induced shivering in men with thermoneutral skin temperatures

Twenty-two male Caucasians, aged 20-47 yr, were exposed in a cold room to air temperatures of -33 degrees C while lying in sleeping bags for 2 h. Skin and rectal temperatures as well as electromyographic activity of the chin, forearm, and thigh, were recorded. Shivering occurred in all the subjects, even though skin temperatures were maintained between 31 and 33 degrees C. It is suggested that a counter-current heat exchange occurs whereby the warm blood of the common carotid artery is cooled by cool venous blood in the jugular veins. This cooled arterial blood, in irrigating the hypothalamus, causes shivering.