Lower thermal sensation in normothermic and mildly hyperthermic older adults

Takeda, Ryuji; Imai, Daiki; Suzuki, Azusa; Ota, Akinobu; Naghavi, Nadia; Yamashina, Yoshihiro; Hirasawa, Yoshikazu; Yokoyama, Hisayo; Miyagawa, Toshiaki; Okazaki, Kazunobu

doi:10.1007/s00421-016-3364-4

Cited by 16 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…This was especially evident for the period when applying the absorbent pads and stretch clothing to the skin, as the younger group reported a significant rise in thermal sensation and became more uncomfortable, whereas the older group did not. The inability to report a change in thermal sensation and comfort when adding a layer of clothing highlights the vulnerability of older individuals in warm conditions and supports the previous evidence of a reduced whole body thermal sensitivity (Natsume et al 1992;Taylor et al 1995;Tochihara et al 2011;Takeda et al 2016) and thermal comfort (Natsume et al 1992;Taylor et al 1995;Waldock et al 2018) in the aged.…”

Section: Gastrointestinal Temperature Thermal Sensation and Comfortsupporting

confidence: 80%

Body mapping of regional sweat distribution in young and older males

et al. 2020

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Purpose Given the pressing impact of global warming and its detrimental effect on the health of older populations, understanding age-related changes in thermoregulatory function is essential. Age differences in regional sweat distribution have been observed previously, but given the typically small measurement areas assessed, the development of whole body sweat maps for older individuals is required. Therefore, this study investigated age-related differences in regional sweat distribution in a hot environment (32 °C/50%RH) in young and older adults, using a body mapping approach. Methods Technical absorbent pads were applied to the skin of 14 young (age 24 ± 2 years) and 14 older (68 ± 5 years) males to measure regional sweat rate (RSR) at rest (30 min) and during exercise (30 min), at a fixed heat production (200 W m−2). Gastrointestinal (Tgi) and skin temperature (Tsk), heart rate, thermal sensation, and thermal comfort were also measured. Results Whole body sweat maps showed that despite equal heat production, healthy older males had significantly lower gross sweat loss (GSL) than the young and significantly lower RSR at almost all body regions at rest and at the hands, legs, ankles, and feet during exercise. The lower sweat loss in the older group coincided with a greater increase in Tgi and a consistently higher Tsk at the legs, despite subjectively feeling slightly cooler than younger individuals. Conclusion These findings support the evidence of age-related deterioration in both autonomic and subjective responses in the heat and highlight the lower extremities as the most affected body region.

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Section: Gastrointestinal Temperature Thermal Sensation and Comfortsupporting

confidence: 80%

Body mapping of regional sweat distribution in young and older males

et al. 2020

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“…However, whether there are age-related alterations in the perception of hyperthermia (i.e., increases in core temperature) remains unclear. Takeda et al recently found that older adults have a greater temperature threshold for the perception of warmth during both skin warming and mild whole-body heating, providing evidence for a reduced perception of hyperthermia in aging (60). However, using an experimental paradigm similar to the one used herein, Schlader et al found no age-related reductions in the perception of hyperthermia (48).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Blunted increases in skin sympathetic nerve activity are related to attenuated reflex vasodilation in aged human skin

Stanhewicz

Greaney

Alexander

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Physiology

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Reflex cutaneous vasodilation in response to passive heating is attenuated in human aging. This diminished response is mediated, in part, by age-associated reductions in endothelial function; however, the contribution of altered skin sympathetic nervous system activity (SSNA) is unknown. We hypothesized that 1) healthy older adults would demonstrate blunted SSNA responses to increased core temperature compared with young adults and 2) the decreased SSNA response would be associated with attenuated cutaneous vasodilation. Reflex vasodilation was elicited in 13 young [23 ± 1 (SE) yr] and 13 older (67 ± 2 yr) adults using a water-perfused suit to elevate esophageal temperature by 1.0°C. SSNA (peroneal microneurography) and red cell flux (laser Doppler flowmetry) in the innervated dermatome (the dorsum of foot) were continuously measured. SSNA was normalized to, and expressed as, a percentage of baseline. Cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) was calculated as flux/mean arterial pressure and expressed as a percentage of maximal CVC (local heating, 43°C). Reflex vasodilation was attenuated in older adults (P < 0.001). During heating, SSNA increased in both groups (P < 0.05); however, the response was significantly blunted in older adults (P = 0.01). The increase in SSNA during heating was linearly related to cutaneous vasodilation in both young (R = 0.87 ± 0.02, P < 0.01) and older (R = 0.76 ± 0.05, P < 0.01) adults; however, slope of the linear regression between ΔSSNA and ΔCVC was reduced in older compared with young (older: 0.05 ± 0.01 vs. young: 0.08 ± 0.01; P < 0.05). These data demonstrate that age-related impairments in reflex cutaneous vasodilation are mediated, in part, by blunted efferent SSNA during hyperthermia.

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“…Behavioural temperature regulation may play a critical role in initiating heat relief strategies during heat waves, working alongside the specific physiological mechanisms to that target population when attempting to mitigate adverse heat health outcomes. Whereas age-related alterations in thermal perception have been identified in adults ( Takeda et al, 2016 ; Baquero and Forcada, 2022 ), there is limited evidence available for children and adolescents. The present study demonstrates that self-reported thermal sensation and comfort are similar between children and adults during periods when a local heat alert is broadcasted.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

24-h movement behaviour, thermal perception, thirst, and heat management strategies of children and adults during heat alerts: a pilot study

2023

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Background: Heat waves caused by climate change are increasingly challenging the wellbeing of individuals across the lifespan. Current efforts to understand the thermal perceptions and behaviours of people throughout the lifespan during heat waves are limited.Methods: Since June 2021, the Active Heatwave project has been recruiting households to better understand how individuals perceive, cope, and behave during heat waves. Using our novel web platform, participants were prompted to answer our Heat Alert Survey on days when a participants geolocation corresponded to a broadcasted local heat alert. Participants provided 24-h movement behaviour, thirst, thermal perception, and cooling strategies via validated questionnaires.Results: A total of 285 participants (118 children) from 60 distinct weather station locations globally participated between June and September 2021 and 2022. At least 1 heat alert (834 total) were identified from 95% (57/60) of the weather stations. Children reported spending more time performing vigorous intensity exercise compared to adults (p < 0.05), but no differences in thermal sensation, thermal comfort, or thirst sensation (all p > 0.31) were observed. For thirst management, 88% of respondents used water to relieve thirst, although notably, 15% of adults reported using alcohol. Regardless of age, staying indoors was the most common heat management strategy, whereas visiting cooling centres was the least.Conclusion: The present study presents a proof-of-concept combining local heat alert notifications with e-questionnaires for collecting near-real-time perceptual and behavioural data for both children and adults during heat waves. The observed patterns of behaviour suggest that present public heat-health guidelines are often ignored, children engage in fewer heat management strategies compared to adults, and these disparities highlight the need to improve public health communication and knowledge dissemination around promoting effective and accessible cooling solutions for children and adults.

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Lower thermal sensation in normothermic and mildly hyperthermic older adults

Abstract: Skin warmth detection thresholds at forearm and whole body warmth perception under NT and HT and skin cold detection thresholds at forearm under NT deteriorated with aging.

Cited by 16 publications

References 50 publications

Body mapping of regional sweat distribution in young and older males

Body mapping of regional sweat distribution in young and older males

Blunted increases in skin sympathetic nerve activity are related to attenuated reflex vasodilation in aged human skin

24-h movement behaviour, thermal perception, thirst, and heat management strategies of children and adults during heat alerts: a pilot study

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