Modification of Thermoregulatory Responses to Cold by Hypnosis.

KMEN, AaaoT-r T., CLIFFORD B. REIFLER, AND VIcroR H. shivering. The predominant role oi the peripheral mecha"THALV2. Modification of thermoregulatory response to cold by hypnosis. nism in the initiation of shivering has been stressed by J. Appl. Physiol. i9(6): 1o43-1050. i9 64 .-The effects of Lim (27). Helmendach and Meehan (16) noted that the hypnosis on thermoregulatory responses were studied in nonthermoregulatory responses of dogs were affected by alacclimatized acutely cold-exposed men. Forty exposures (4.5terations of peripheral sensitivity wherein depression of 5.0 C) were conducted in an environmental chamber under both hypnosis and nonhypnosis conditions. Five subject% wearperipheral thermoesitivity increased the amount of ing I cio insulation, were cold exposed for I hr, four times for skin cooling required to initiate shivering. A crucial factor each condition, and each subject served as his own control. in such homeostatic control of thermoregulatory mechaVariables monitored included mean skin and rectal temperanismo is apparently vasomotor activity. tures, heart and shivering rates, basal skin resistance, and vigiPsychogenic influence of peripheral vasomotor activity lance task performance. In hypnosis, shivering was suppressed, is frequently observed in most instances of facial blushing heart rate lowered, and vigilance task performance improved, and pallor. There is evidence of similar responsivity of Basal skin resistance differed in terms of pattern and level, being the peripheral vasomotor mechanism to hypnotic stiggenerally higher under hypnotic conditions. Rectal temperagestion (7). Reactivity of other aspects of the vasomotor tures were lower despite maintaining skir temperature at the mechanism, such as thermal and tactile receptors, may same level as during nonhypnosis conditions. These findings inalso be effected by hypnotic suggestions. dicate that with thy' thermal stress imposed and leveis of trance achieved, there is a general amelioration of the pr/chophysioIn view of the interrelationship of the peripheral vasculogical effects of the stress. The mechanism responsible for this lar mechanism and thermoregulation, and the possibility form of "adaptation" remains speculative but h consistent with of influencing these by hypnosis, it seemed probable that generalized suppression of sympathetic activity, the utilization of hypnosis in a biothermal stress study would provide both a novel and productive approach to thernoregulation cold exposure adaptation the study of thermoregulation. The following is a report sympathetic nerve activity shivering basal skin on the modification of shivering, temperature, and reresistance vigilance task performance lated rxmsposes in human subjects exposed to whole-body cold stress in the hypnotic state.