Use of Infrared Thermography and Heart Rate Variability to Evaluate Autonomic Activity in Domestic Animals
Marcelo Daniel Ghezzi,
María Carolina Ceriani,
Adriana Domínguez-Oliva,
Pamela Anahí Lendez,
Adriana Olmos-Hernández,
Alejandro Casas-Alvarado,
Ismael Hernández-Avalos
Affiliations
Marcelo Daniel Ghezzi
Anatomy Area, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences (FCV), Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (UNCPBA), University Campus, Tandil 7000, Argentina
María Carolina Ceriani
Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil CIVETAN, UNCPBA-CICPBA-CONICET (UNCPBA), University Campus, Tandil 7000, Argentina
Adriana Domínguez-Oliva
Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco Campus, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
Pamela Anahí Lendez
Anatomy Area, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences (FCV), Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (UNCPBA), University Campus, Tandil 7000, Argentina
Adriana Olmos-Hernández
Division of Biotechnology—Bioterio and Experimental Surgery, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra (INR-LGII), Tlalpan, Mexico City 14389, Mexico
Alejandro Casas-Alvarado
Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco Campus, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
Ismael Hernández-Avalos
Clinical Pharmacology and Veterinary Anesthesia, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuautitlán Izcalli 54714, Mexico
Most of the responses present in animals when exposed to stressors are mediated by the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system, known as the one responsible for the “fight or flight” reaction, triggers cardiovascular changes such as tachycardia or vasomotor alterations to restore homeostasis. Increase in body temperature in stressed animals also activates peripheral compensatory mechanisms such as cutaneous vasodilation to increase heat exchange. Since changes in skin blood flow influence the amount of heat dissipation, infrared thermography is suggested as a tool that can detect said changes. The present review aims to analyze the application of infrared thermography as a method to assess stress-related autonomic activity, and their association with the cardiovascular and heart rate variability in domestic animals.
