Thermal alliesthesial response in man is independent of skin location stimulated

Abstract

It is known that a peripheral temperature stimulus in man may be perceived as warm, cold or neutral and may arouse a pleasant/unpleasant sensation according to the usefulness of the stimulus in restoring or maintaining normothermia. In the present study, three male subjects were exposed for two hours (clothing=swimming costumes, posture=sitting) in a climatic chamber to a constant temperature of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C. The subjects rated their general temperature and comfort sensations on two psychophysical scales. A set of temperature stimuli (17.5–40.0°C) was applied by the aid of a Peltier thermode on back of hand, forehead and back of neck. For each stimulus the subjects rated their temperature sensation and thermal pleasantness/unpleasantness sensation on psychophysical scales. Core temperature and skin temperature at eight locations were continuously recorded. The results indicate that local temperature sensation is independent of core temperature and mean skin temperature, whereas, local pleasantness sensation is a function of both mean skin temperature and the deviation of core temperature from its thermoregulatory set point. Both local temperature sensation and thermal pleasantness sensation in response to a peripheral temperature stimulus, under hypothermal, normothermal or hyperthermal conditions, is independent of skin location (hand, forehead and neck) stimulated.