Thermal effects of whole head submersion in cold water on nonshivering humans
Abstract
This study isolated the effect of whole head submersion in cold water, on surface heat loss and body core cooling, when the confounding effect of shivering heat production was pharmacologically eliminated. Eight healthy male subjects were studied in 17 degrees C water under four conditions: the body was either insulated or uninsulated, with the head either above the water or completely submersed in each body-insulation subcondition. Shivering was abolished with buspirone (30 mg) and meperidine (2.5 mg/kg), and subjects breathed compressed air throughout all trials. Over the first 30 min of immersion, exposure of the head increased core cooling both in the body-insulated conditions (head out: 0.47 +/- 0.2 degrees C, head in: 0.77 +/- 0.2 degrees C; P < 0.05) and the body-exposed conditions (head out: 0.84 +/- 0.2 degrees C and head in: 1.17 +/- 0.5 degrees C; P < 0.02). Submersion of the head (7% of the body surface area) in the body-exposed conditions increased total heat loss by only 10%. In both body-exposed and body-insulated conditions, head submersion increased core cooling rate much more (average of 42%) than it increased total heat loss. This may be explained by a redistribution of blood flow in response to stimulation of thermosensitive and/or trigeminal receptors in the scalp, neck and face, where a given amount of heat loss would have a greater cooling effect on a smaller perfused body mass. In 17 degrees C water, the head does not contribute relatively more than th…
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In a 30 year study of suicides in Hungary, highest rates were in summer and lowest in winter.
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From Festive medical myths (2008) · cites this paper as [14]
Around the world, suicides peak in warmer months and are lowest in winter.
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From Festive medical myths (2008) · cites this paper as [14]
People are not more likely to commit suicide during the dark winter months.
“Further debunking myths about suicide, people are not more likely to commit suicide during the dark winter months.”
From Festive medical myths (2008) · cites this paper as [14]
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- Authors
- Pretorius, T., Bristow, G. K., Steinman, A. M., & Giesbrecht, G. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Manitoba (CA)
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Physiology
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Published
- 2006-08
- Volume
- 101
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 669-675
- ISSN
- 0161-7567 (ISSN-L)
- 8750-7587
- 1522-1601
- OpenAlex
- W2159358171
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 0.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Physiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine › Thermal Regulation in Medicine
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- cold water immersion, surface heat loss, shivering, buspirone, pethidine, body insulation, blood flow redistribution, thermoregulation, cold exposure
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Body Temperature, Body Temperature Regulation, Buspirone, Cold Temperature, Head, Humans, Hypothermia, Immersion, Male, Middle Aged, Sensory Receptor Cells, Regional Blood Flow, Shivering, Skin Temperature, Anti-Anxiety Agents
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