Media Credit: courtesy Christopher Minson uses a full body suit that pumps water onto subjects' skin through tubes to induce heat stress in their bodies.

Recent research at the University may have identified the specific neurotransmitter in the human body that regulates blood flow to the skin and controls body temperature, and the researchers hope to use the information to help patients with heart disease or other ailments that make their bodies unable to raise skin blood flow.

University Human Physiology Professor Christopher Minson and former University doctoral student Brett Wong worked together on the study, which was first published online Oct. 5.

Typically, the body's temperature is raised by the increased blood flow to the surface of the skin, caused by either exercise or outside influence. The body responds by sweating to cool back down. If one or both of those mechanisms is not working, Minson said, the body would not be able to function efficiently at all.

"This is a very important response to humans," Minson said. "It is the reason why we are able to adjust to our environment so well."

Minson said many older people are unable to naturally regulate their body temperatures.

Wong wrote in an e-mail that the research is an important step toward helping those who may be unable to adequately regulate blood flow because of illness.

"We need to understand how this system works in young, healthy subjects before we can help those populations who are most at risk for heat-related illnesses and death," he said.

Gary Klug, head of the human physiology department, said the research could also be applied to athletes, who must consider body temperature in competition and training.

"This has not only applications to medical conditions, but it also has ramifications for people who wish to maximize performance," Klug said.

Klug added that the study fits well into the Human Physiology Department's goal of expanding basic science to clinical application.

Wong said this particular study took approximately a year and a half in the lab to complete.

Minson said he also hopes his work will lead to more discoveries down the line.

"I think basic science can't be forgotten simply because when you find something that's of value, so many other studies can come out of that," he said.

Continued...

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