Peripheral modifications to the central drive for sweating.

Three subjects performed from 15 to 20 bouts of 10-min bicycle ergometer exercise in a 26 C ambient. The procedure imposed a consistent pattern of internal (esophageal) temperature increase in the presence of a constant mean skin temperature. Body weight loss was continuously recorded and rate of evaporative loss due to sweating was calculated during each minute of exercise. It was confirmed that both local and total sweating are functions of internal temperature at a fixed constant mean skin temperature. In the presence of a constant central drive for sweating, the sweating response could be modified at the periphery according to the area-specific characteristics and/or by local temperature.