Human performance at environmental extremes Flashcards
(230 cards)
What are the components of thermoregulation
Behaviour!
Cold Shivering Non shivering thermo BAT (increased metab) Pilo erection (minor) Vasoconstriction
Hot
Vasodilation
sweat
Metabolic rate can decrease here
What is meant by the ‘environment driven zone’ and the ‘prescriptive zone’ and what factor can change this?
EDZ = Temperatures at which the core temperature is raised after exercising above the typical amount for lower temperatures e.g. normally 10-25 deg it will always be raised to x and above 25 it will be >x.
Prescriptive zone = ambient temperatures at which the body raises the core temperatures to a consistent set level.
Potential effects of cold temperature on HR?
Shivering so increased HR
Gold standard of temperature measuring?
Oesophageal
Describe what happens if core temperature rises
39 normal in exercise (possibly 40)
41 ok - used in fever therapy
44 - heat stroke, death, brain damage
What happens if core temperature falls?
35 - reduced consciousness
31-33 VF
31 Death
Depending on speed people have survived as low as 14 degree core temp.
Describe the unified controller model of thermoregulation?
Sesory detect temperatures in core and shell - feel into single controller with a temperature set point. Mismatch in sensor temperature and set point causes effector stimulation.
Inibitory connectsions between ant and post so that there is only hot or cold response.
Describe the unified controller with individual effector loops model and describe the effector responses.
Set point in the brain individually triggers effectors/ These systems then cause a rise or fall in temperatre which is sensed and feedsback into the effector activity. Work towards same set point but effectors are activated in different amount.
Proportionality differs for each response based on rise/ fall in temperature and difference between shell and core temperature. Larger =sweating/shivering. smaller = vasocon/dilation.
Roles of anterior and posterior hypothalamus.
Anterior - vasodilation and sweating
Posterior - vasoconstriction and shivering
Describe the independent control loops for different effectors model.
The activity of each effector is dependent on an independent threshold value.
For example shivering and sweating need a start when the temperature deviates from the
Where is the central control point in the brain?
nucleus pre opticus - anterior hypothalamus
Describe the perception of temperature and factors that effect this.
Perception depends on sensation, sensitisation and rate of temperature change.
Sensors consist of free nerve endings.
Sense via TRP receptors which are independently triggered by different temperature range (peak activity varies for each one)
Extreme temperature TRP channels cause pain.
Can be triggered by menthol/ capacian.
Activity increased with sudden temperature change and decrease by prolonged stimulation (sensitisation)
How is metabolic rate at certain temperatures linked to age?
As a baby - higher SA:body so need more heat production as proportionally more heat loss. Metabolism increases faster as ambient lowers and starts increasing at higher temperatures
How significant is the role of BAT and where is it found
Neck and shoulders (perirenal in babies).
Only produces 8/10Ws
Describe apocrine sweat
Found on hair follicles Mixes with sebaceous glands to produce odour (proteins broken down). Located circum oral, eyelids, nipples, axillae, outer ear.
Not much role in temp reg
Describe eccrine sweat glands
Located all over body.
Can only become active in first 2 years of life (hot countries have more) however have capacity to grow. More dense (more sweat) on back than trunc, around spine, forehead, upper leg.
What is sweat capacity effected by?
Fitness, training, age, sex (males sweat more and have a higher capacity?), acclimatisation
How is blood follow affected by temperature? (distribution) effect of exericse?
Vasoconstriction and dilation.
Keeps blood to core structure to prevent heat loss.
Arteriovenous anastomoses prevent blood travelling through more superficial capillaries (preventing heat loss) and also shunts blood to deeper veins (preventing them going to superficial ones) means blood can get warmed by accompanying artery.
25-30c variation in arm blood flow.
In heat everything wants blood, vasdilation often is more important than maintaining BP in extremes of temp.
How is blood follow affected by temperature? (distribution) effect of exericse?
Vasoconstriction and dilation.
Keeps blood to core structure to prevent heat loss -blood to superficial veins closed off so has to go deep. shunts blood to deeper veins (preventing them going to superficial ones) means blood can get warmed by accompanying artery. (countercurrent heat exchange via venae comitans).
If too hot.
Arteriovenous anastomoses prevent blood travelling through capillaries meaning resistance is reduced and more blood travels to arm. Causes arm to get warmer, more blood in superficial veins and more heat loss.
25-30c variation in arm blood flow.
In heat everything wants blood, vasdilation often is more important than maintaining BP in extremes of temp.
Describe the various ways to measure temperature
Thermistors - adds resistance with heat
Thermocouples - 2 wires of different material that produce volage dependent on temperature difference
Radio pill - expensive, swallow with transmittor
Infrared thermometer e.g. tympanic membrane
heat flux disc - transducer than gives electric signal based on heat rate applied.
Many areas e.g. orifice, intra abdominal, su lingual, axillary.
Aural-Hearing defenders
Urine temp
Rectal good but slow to pick up changes.
Describe the various ways to measure temperature
Thermistors - adds resistance with heat
Thermocouples - 2 wires of different material that produce volage dependent on temperature difference
Radio pill - expensive, swallow with transmittor
Infrared thermometer e.g. tympanic membrane
heat flux disc - transducer than gives electric signal based on heat rate applied.
Many areas e.g. orifice, intra abdominal, su lingual, axillary.
Aural-Hearing defenders
Urine temp
Rectal good but slow to pick up changes.
What is a homeotherm?
An organism that maintains its temperature at a constant level via its metabolic activity
What is thermal conductance? How is relevant to the body?
Degree to which heat can be transferred to or from. different body parts have different conductances- a lot sue to blood supply. Conduction is due to gradients.
Also convection = ECF
Describe where thermoregulation fits in in the hierarchy of systems
Ranks highly
in heat - BP can drop (heatsyncope) and dehydration can occur