Effects of Local Cold and Heat Stimuli on Cutaneous Thermal Sensitivity and Inter-Threshold Zone at Rest and During Exercise

Abstract

PURPOSE The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of local cold and heat stimuli on cutaneous thermal sensitivity and inter-threshold zone at rest and during exercise. METHODS Cutaneous warm and cold thresholds were measured on two body regions (forehead and hand) in three types of local thermal stress environments (neutral, heat, cold) using a method of limit in sixteen young, healthy male subjects (25.44±2.28 years) at rest and during exercise. RESULTS The results showed that the thermal inter-threshold zone was wider on the hand than on the forehead under thermal stress conditions at rest and during exercise. The thermal inter-threshold zone on both body regions widened with exercise (p<.05). Exercise significantly blunted both the warm and cold sensitivity in the forehead (p<.05), but only cold sensitivity in the hand (p<.05). Moreover, the thermal inter-threshold zone on both the forehead and hand became significantly wider when heat or cold stress was applied to the local body region (p<.001). In the forehead, warm and cold sensitivity were significantly blunted in both heat and cold stress environments (p<.05), whereas in the hard they were significantly blunted only in the heat stress environment (p<.01). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the present study showed that the forehead is more sensitive to both warm and cold stimuli than the hand, regardless of thermal stress or exercise. Furthermore, the thermal inter-threshold zone on both the forehead and the hand widened with exercise and local thermal stimuli.

Keywords

• thermal sensitivity
• inter-threshold zone
• thermoception
• local thermal stress
• exercise analgesia