The effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool‐seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adults

Abstract Seasonal heat acclimatization is known to enhance autonomic thermoeffector responses, whereas the behavioural response following seasonal heat acclimatization remains unknown. We investigated whether seasonal heat acclimatization would alter autonomic and behavioural thermoregulatory respon...

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Main Authors: Hui Wang, Zachary J. Schlader, Tze‐Huan Lei, Toby Mündel, Tatsuro Amano, Naoto Fujii, Takeshi Nishiyasu, James Cotter, Narihiko Kondo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Experimental Physiology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1113/EP091969
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author Hui Wang
Zachary J. Schlader
Tze‐Huan Lei
Toby Mündel
Tatsuro Amano
Naoto Fujii
Takeshi Nishiyasu
James Cotter
Narihiko Kondo
author_facet Hui Wang
Zachary J. Schlader
Tze‐Huan Lei
Toby Mündel
Tatsuro Amano
Naoto Fujii
Takeshi Nishiyasu
James Cotter
Narihiko Kondo
author_sort Hui Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Seasonal heat acclimatization is known to enhance autonomic thermoeffector responses, whereas the behavioural response following seasonal heat acclimatization remains unknown. We investigated whether seasonal heat acclimatization would alter autonomic and behavioural thermoregulatory responses. Sixteen healthy participants (eight males and eight females) underwent two trials involving 50 min of lower‐leg passive heating (lower‐leg submersion in 42°C water) with (Fan trial) and without (No fan trial) the voluntary use of a fan in a moderate thermal environment (27°C, 50% relative humidity) across winter and summer months. In Fan trials, participants were allowed to use a fan to maintain thermal comfort, but this was not allowed in the No fan trials. Cool‐seeking behaviour was initiated at a lower change in rectal temperature [mean (SD): 0.21 (0.18)°C vs. 0.11 (0.13)°C, P = 0.0327] and change in mean skin temperature [2.34 (0.56)°C vs. 1.81 (0.32)°C, P < 0.0001], and cooling time was longer [16.46 (5.62) vs. 20.40 (4.87) min, P = 0.0224] in summer compared with winter. However, thermal perception was not modified by season during lower‐leg passive heating (all P > 0.0864). Furthermore, rectal temperature was higher in summer (P = 0.0433), whereas mean body temperature and skin temperature were not different (all P > 0.0631) between the two seasons in Fan trials. In conclusion, seasonal heat acclimatization enhanced the cool‐seeking behaviour from winter to summer.
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spelling doaj-art-e3795006cef94a96ba0b05d35de57dba2025-08-20T03:28:13ZengWileyExperimental Physiology0958-06701469-445X2025-07-011107992100410.1113/EP091969The effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool‐seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adultsHui Wang0Zachary J. Schlader1Tze‐Huan Lei2Toby Mündel3Tatsuro Amano4Naoto Fujii5Takeshi Nishiyasu6James Cotter7Narihiko Kondo8Laboratory for Applied Human Physiology, Graduate School of Human Development and Environment Kobe University Kobe JapanDepartment of Kinesiology Indiana University School of Public Health Bloomington Indiana USACollege of Physical Education Hubei Normal University Huangshi ChinaDepartment of Kinesiology Brock University St. Catharines ON CanadaFaculty of Education Niigata University Niigata JapanInstitute of Health and Sports Science University of Tsukuba Tsukuba JapanInstitute of Health and Sports Science University of Tsukuba Tsukuba JapanSchool of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences University of Otago Dunedin New ZealandLaboratory for Applied Human Physiology, Graduate School of Human Development and Environment Kobe University Kobe JapanAbstract Seasonal heat acclimatization is known to enhance autonomic thermoeffector responses, whereas the behavioural response following seasonal heat acclimatization remains unknown. We investigated whether seasonal heat acclimatization would alter autonomic and behavioural thermoregulatory responses. Sixteen healthy participants (eight males and eight females) underwent two trials involving 50 min of lower‐leg passive heating (lower‐leg submersion in 42°C water) with (Fan trial) and without (No fan trial) the voluntary use of a fan in a moderate thermal environment (27°C, 50% relative humidity) across winter and summer months. In Fan trials, participants were allowed to use a fan to maintain thermal comfort, but this was not allowed in the No fan trials. Cool‐seeking behaviour was initiated at a lower change in rectal temperature [mean (SD): 0.21 (0.18)°C vs. 0.11 (0.13)°C, P = 0.0327] and change in mean skin temperature [2.34 (0.56)°C vs. 1.81 (0.32)°C, P < 0.0001], and cooling time was longer [16.46 (5.62) vs. 20.40 (4.87) min, P = 0.0224] in summer compared with winter. However, thermal perception was not modified by season during lower‐leg passive heating (all P > 0.0864). Furthermore, rectal temperature was higher in summer (P = 0.0433), whereas mean body temperature and skin temperature were not different (all P > 0.0631) between the two seasons in Fan trials. In conclusion, seasonal heat acclimatization enhanced the cool‐seeking behaviour from winter to summer.https://doi.org/10.1113/EP091969behavioural thermoregulationelectric fanpassive heat stressseasonal heat acclimatization
spellingShingle Hui Wang
Zachary J. Schlader
Tze‐Huan Lei
Toby Mündel
Tatsuro Amano
Naoto Fujii
Takeshi Nishiyasu
James Cotter
Narihiko Kondo
The effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool‐seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adults
Experimental Physiology
behavioural thermoregulation
electric fan
passive heat stress
seasonal heat acclimatization
title The effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool‐seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adults
title_full The effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool‐seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adults
title_fullStr The effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool‐seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adults
title_full_unstemmed The effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool‐seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adults
title_short The effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool‐seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adults
title_sort effect of seasonal heat acclimatization on cool seeking behaviour during passive heat stress in young adults
topic behavioural thermoregulation
electric fan
passive heat stress
seasonal heat acclimatization
url https://doi.org/10.1113/EP091969
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