The effect of stress on core and peripheral body temperature in humans

Abstract

Even though there are indications that stress influences body temperature in humans, no study has systematically investigated the effects of stress on core and peripheral body temperature. The present study therefore aimed to investigate the effects of acute psychosocial stress on body temperature using different readout measurements. In two independent studies, male and female participants were exposed to a standardized laboratory stress task (the Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) or a non-stressful control task. Core temperature (intestinal and temporal artery) and peripheral temperature (facial and body skin temperature) were measured. Compared to the control condition, stress exposure decreased intestinal temperature but did not affect temporal artery temperature. Stress exposure resulted in changes in skin temperature that followed a gradient-like pattern, with decreases at distal skin locations such as the fingertip and finger base and unchanged skin temperature at proximal regions such as the infra-clavicular area. Stress-induced effects on facial temperature displayed a sex-specific pattern, with decreased nasal skin temperature in females and increased cheek temperature in males. In conclusion, the amplitude and direction of stress-induced temperature changes depend on the site of temperature measurement in humans. This precludes a direct translation of the preclinical stress-induced hyperthermia paradigm, in which core temperature uniformly rises in response to stress to the human situation. Nevertheless, the effects of stress result in consistent temperature changes. Therefore, the present study supports the inclusion of body temperature as a physiological readout parameter of stress in future studies.

Uncomfortably numb: new evidence for suppressed emotional reactivity in response to body-threats in those predisposed to sub-clinical dissociative experiences

“…The present findings are perhaps more consistent with a general fear / anxiety response to the body-threat (see Vinkers et al, 2013), rather than reflecting shifts in limb ownership.…”

“…In addition, previous research has argued that drops in body / finger temperature can reflect a psychophysiological anxiety response (Vinkers, et al, 2013), and this has been shown for non-clinical samples in relation to body illusions (full body illusions: Salomon et al, 2013; the RHI: Moseley et al, 2008;Kammers et al, 2011;Thakkar et al, 2011: though see also Hohwy & Paton, 2010;Paton et al, 2012 for failures to replicate). Therefore, finger temperature was measured as an additional objective index of threat-related anxiety, via a separate channel on the same MP36R unit described above.…”

“…Research has argued that the hypothalamus and preoptic area (PO) play crucial roles in effective body temperature regulation, and a wealth of research has explored thermoregulation with respect to behaviour such as psychological reactivity to stress (Hammel, 1968;Nagashima, Nakai, Tanaka, & Kanosue, 2000;Oka, 2015;Oka, Oka & Hori, 2001). Indeed, drops in finger temperature have been associated with fear / anxiety responses (Vinkers et al, 2013), and have been demonstrated under body-illusion conditions (full body illusions: Salomon, Lim, Pfeiffer, Gassert & Blanke, 2013; the Rubber-hand illusion, RHI: Moseley et al, 2008;Kammers, Rose, & Haggard, 2011;Thakkar, Nichols, McIntosh, & Park, 2011: though see also Hohwy & Paton, 2010;Paton, Hohwy, & Enticott, 2012 for failures to replicate). This has led some researchers to suggest that such drops in temperature could also be used as a reliable index of fear processing, and that temperature regulation must therefore involve higher, top-down cognitive processing between physiological regulation of the physical self and the conscious 'self' (Moseley et al, 2008).…”

Detector De Stress Pessoal

“…Outra forma de detectar a presença do estresse é a partir do monitoramento de sinais biológicos. A detecção pode ser realizada por sensores capazes de medir variações dos sinais de resposta galvânica da pele (GSR) [4], temperatura da superfície do corpo [5], eletrocardiografia (ECG) [6], eletromiografia (EMG) [7], eletroencefalografia (EEG), frequência cardíaca, pressão arterial, taxa de respiração e outros [8]. Devido a necessidade do monitoramento dos sinais do organismo de forma contínua e sem prejudicar a rotina do usuário, os dispositivos vestíveis tem ganhado espaço no mercado de healthcare.…”

Psychophysiological analysis of a pedagogical agent and robotic peer for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

“…Since conductive gel is used at the fingertips, the connection of SKT changes. For instance, the participants in [223] were exposed to a stressinducing activity while their skin temperature was being simultaneously collected at several body locations. The results showed that, due to stress, temperature significantly increased on the neck over time compared to the control condition, while it significantly decreased on the fingertip.…”