Different Parts of the Nervous System Are Activated at Different Temperatures during Face Cooling

Article title: Activation of cardiac parasympathetic and sympathetic activity occur at different skin temperatures during face cooling

Authors: Blair D. Johnson, Christopher L. Chapman, Elizabeth A. Gideon, Felipe Gorini Pereira, James R Sackett, Morgan Reynolds, Muhamed McBryde, Zachary J. Schlader

From the authors: “In this study, we demonstrated that increases in cardiac parasympathetic and sympathetic activity during face cooling are initiated at different stimulus temperatures with increases in sympathetic activity occurring at higher forehead temperatures (<19°C) than cardiac parasympathetic activity (<11°C).”

This study is highlighted as one of May’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society's APSselect program.