Acquired emotional sweating in transplants.

Abstract

Eccrine sweat gland function of the palms and soles in man is distinctive and stands in sharp contrast with that of the general body surface. Volar sweat glands respond characteristically to emotional, mental, or sensory stimuli, while those of the general body surface are activated primarily by heat. 1 Although volar sweat glands will apparently react also to heat, this response is minimal and late, appearing only with prolonged and intense thermal stimuli. It has been suggested that this latter response might not represent direct thermal stimulation of the volar glands, but could be due to a psychogenic stimulus resulting from such stress. It is also true that other areas of the general body surface will exhibit emotional eccrine sweating, but less promptly and less consistently than do the palms and soles. The axillae and the forehead and other facial areas frequently display such sweating,