title: Sudomotor and vasomotor activity during the menstrual cycle with global heating.
abstract: Many studies have reported that there are changes in sympathetic activity throughout the menstrual cycle as there are oestrogen receptor in the hypothalamus and all other parts of the sympathetic nervous system. The purpose of this study was to see whether there were variations in sympathetic activity, skin vasomotor and sweat gland sudomotor rhythms during the menstrual cycle. Eight young female subjects with a regular menstrual cycle participated in the study. Subjects were tested once during the follicular phase and once during the luteal phase. Skin blood flow and sweat rate were significantly higher in the luteal phase compared with the follicular phase (p < .05), but the frequency and magnitude of sudomotor and vasomotor rhythms were significantly greater in the follicular phase (p < .05). In contrast, spectral data showed less sympathetic activity in the luteal phase. A significant finding here is that the sudomotor rhythm of sweat glands is altered by the menstrual cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jerrold
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petrofsky
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Haneul
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Schools of Physical Therapy, Touro University, Henderson, NV, USA.
authors.forename: Iman Akef
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Khowailed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008183:Luteal Phase; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000294:innervation*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013545:Sweat Glands / Q000294:innervation*; D013546:Sweating; D013997:Time Factors; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cutaneous vasodilation; menstrual cycle; skin blood flow; sweat rate; sympathetic