The cutaneous vasoconstrictor response in lower extremities during whole-body and local skin cooling in young women with a cold constitution.

To clarify the characteristics of the thermal control of skin blood flow (SkBF) in individuals with a cold constitution, we examined the cutaneous vasoconstrictor responses in the calf and dorsal foot during whole-body and local skin cooling in young women complaining of chilliness (C group) and young women not suffering from it (N group). During whole-body skin cooling, the vasoconstrictor sensitivity in the dorsal foot, but not in the calf, was greater in the C group than in the N group. The C group also showed greater vasoconstrictor responses in the dorsal foot, but not in the calf, during local skin cooling and the iontophoretic application of norepinephrine. These findings suggest that the C group possesses a specific SkBF controlling system that is characterized by higher adrenergic sensitivity for greater cutaneous vasoconstriction in the distal portion of the lower extremities during cold exposure.