8/9/2019 Tipjevdsluier

1/5

Maastricht University

University of Wollongong

Neurological control of

thermal and psychological

sweating.

Name W. van Dijk

ID I223239Date July 2010

Master programme Biology of Human Performance and Health

Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life sciences

Maastricht University

First supervisor Drs. E. van Breda

Second supervisor Prof. Dr. H. Kuipers

Institution supervisor Prof. N.A.S Taylor

Institution University of Wollongong

Period February 2010 July 2010

8/9/2019 Tipjevdsluier

2/5

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

I would like to show my appreciation to Drs. Eric van Breda and Prof. Nigel Taylor for giving

me the opportunity to gain practical experience at the University of Wollongong. I am very

grateful for the hospitality and warm welcome of Nigel and all the members of the

department. I would also like to thank Anne van den Heuvel en Christiano Machado-Moreira

for their guidance during the experiments. Their enthusiasm and good mood was contagious.

In particular I want to thank Christiano, for his guidance during the process of writing this

thesis. His knowledge and critical view really helped me putting all the pieces together.

Of course the other members of the department and the students at the office (Joanne,

Nurri, Michael, Sean, Laura and Brooke) really made it a very pleasant stay. I wont forget all

the good times, the dinners and the jokes.

Finally I want to thank my family, especially my parents, for their support from back

home in de the Netherlands. I know they have been looking forward to this moment for a long

time. Last but not least I would like to thank Eline for her support and patience throughout

this (long) period.

8/9/2019 Tipjevdsluier

3/5

Abstract

Abstract

Background: The present study focuses is on the neural control of human sweating, with

particular interest on the pharmacological modulation of sudomotor response during thermal

and psychological stimulation, since the existence of adrenergic and cholinergic components

in the neurological control are still subject of debate.

Aims: We tested the hypotheses that thermally and psychologically induced sweating would

not be completely suppressed after administering a systemic cholinergic blockade (atropine).

Methods: Sweat secretion from the dorsal hand (non-glabrous) and the palm (glabrous) were

examined (with ventilated capsules and skin conductance) in nine subjects during passive

heating (climate chamber: 28C, 29% relative humidity, water-perfusion garment: 48C and

feet immersion: 42C) while core temperature was clamped (0.1C) following steady-state

sweating occurred after the thermal load was applied. Three times during the experiment, the

psychological sweat response was evoked by the use of a mental arithmetic.

Results: While subjects were in thermoneutral state, only a significant sweat response in the

palm was observed (p

8/9/2019 Tipjevdsluier

4/5

Appendix II

Content

1. Introduction Error! Bookmark not defined.1.1 Human thermoregulation Error! Bookmark not defined.

1.1.1 Passive system Error! Bookmark not defined.1.1.2 Active system Error! Bookmark not defined.

1.2 The human sudomotor function Error! Bookmark not defined.1.2.1 Anatomy and physiology of eccrine sweat glands Error! Bookmark not defined.1.2.2 Innervation Error! Bookmark not defined.1.2.3 Thermal and non-thermal control Error! Bookmark not defined.

1.3 Summary Error! Bookmark not defined.

2. Aims and hypotheses Error! Bookmark not defined.

3. Methods Error! Bookmark not defined.3.1 Subjects Error! Bookmark not defined.3.2 Procedures Error! Bookmark not defined.3.3 Thermal and non-thermal stimuli for sweating Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.3.1 Passive heat loading Error! Bookmark not defined.3.3.2 Mental arithmetic Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.4 Measurements Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.4.1 Sweat system Error! Bookmark not defined.3.4.2 Skin conductance Error! Bookmark not defined.3.4.3 Body, core and skin temperature Error! Bookmark not defined.3.4.4 Systemic blockade Error! Bookmark not defined.3.4.5 Cardiac response Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.5 Statistical analyses Error! Bookmark not defined.

8/9/2019 Tipjevdsluier

5/5

Appendix II

4. Results Error! Bookmark not defined.4.1 Responses to passive heating and Atropine Error! Bookmark not defined.4.2 Non-thermal sweat responses Error! Bookmark not defined.4.2 Skin conductance Error! Bookmark not defined.4.3 Cardiac Response Error! Bookmark not defined.

5. Discussion Error! Bookmark not defined.5.1 Body temperature Error! Bookmark not defined.5.2 Non-thermal sweating Error! Bookmark not defined.5.3 Skin conductance Error! Bookmark not defined.5.4 Cardiac response Error! Bookmark not defined.5.5 Comparing dorsal hand and palm Error! Bookmark not defined.

6. Conclusion Error! Bookmark not defined.

7. Recommendations for future research Error! Bookmark not defined.

References Error! Bookmark not defined.

Appendix I: Informed consent and screening questionnaire Error! Bookmark not defined.Appendix II: Sweat system Error! Bookmark not defined.