Effects of postural change from supine to head‐up tilt on the skin sympathetic nerve activity component synchronised with the cardiac cycle in warmed men

Abstract

Humans are unique in controlling body temperature in a hot environment by a large amount of skin blood flow; however, the decrease in total peripheral resistance due to systemic cutaneous vasodilatation and the reduction of venous return to the heart due to blood pooling in the cutaneous vein threatens blood pressure maintenance in the upright position, and occasionally causes heat syncope. Against this condition, cutaneous vasodilatation is reportedly suppressed to maintain arterial pressure; however, the nerve activity responsible for this phenomenon has not been identified. In the present study, we found that the skin sympathetic nerve activity component that was synchronised with the cardiac cycle increased in hyperthermia, but the increase was suppressed when the posture was changed from supine to head‐up tilt. The profile of the component agreed with that of cutaneous vasodilatation. Thus, the component might contribute to the prevention of heat syncope in humans.