J Huggins1, Mark Rakobowchuk2. 1. Extracellular Vesicles and the Endothelial Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada. 2. Extracellular Vesicles and the Endothelial Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada. mrakobowchuk@tru.ca.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Physiological markers that estimate sympathetic activation may be used to infer pain and stress in humans. To date, effective reproducible methods are invasive and pose an undesired risk to participants. Previous work in animal models has used infrared thermography to measure the temperature of the lacrimal caruncle region and may be a promising method for measuring stress and pain non-invasively. The current study aimed to determine whether this method is useful in humans. METHODS: Sixteen young healthy participants (age: 18-35) were recruited and underwent sympathetic activation using a cold pressor test (CPT) and a muscle chemoreflex (MCR), and completed a control trial. Throughout all trials, infrared thermographic imaging of the lacrimal caruncle, heart rate, heart rate variability, mean arterial blood pressure and pulse transit time were measured. RESULTS: Heart rate (MCR: 4 ± 3 bpm, CPT: 17 ± 4 bpm p < 0.01) and mean arterial pressure increased (MCR: 6 ± 2, CPT: 5 ± 2 mmHg, p < 0.01) and pulse transit time decreased (p = 0.03) with both sympathetic activation interventions. However, lacrimal caruncle temperature did not vary under any condition remaining at 35.2 ± 0.2 °C which was similar to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest infrared thermographic monitoring of eye temperature in humans does not reliably relate to sympathetic activation. This could be due to hemodynamic responses at the lacrimal caruncle that may be more complex than previously proposed with sympathetic activation. Alternatively, pulse transit time seems like a promising non-invasive measure of changes in sympathetic activation in humans.
PURPOSE: Physiological markers that estimate sympathetic activation may be used to infer pain and stress in humans. To date, effective reproducible methods are invasive and pose an undesired risk to participants. Previous work in animal models has used infrared thermography to measure the temperature of the lacrimal caruncle region and may be a promising method for measuring stress and pain non-invasively. The current study aimed to determine whether this method is useful in humans. METHODS: Sixteen young healthy participants (age: 18-35) were recruited and underwent sympathetic activation using a cold pressor test (CPT) and a muscle chemoreflex (MCR), and completed a control trial. Throughout all trials, infrared thermographic imaging of the lacrimal caruncle, heart rate, heart rate variability, mean arterial blood pressure and pulse transit time were measured. RESULTS: Heart rate (MCR: 4 ± 3 bpm, CPT: 17 ± 4 bpm p < 0.01) and mean arterial pressure increased (MCR: 6 ± 2, CPT: 5 ± 2 mmHg, p < 0.01) and pulse transit time decreased (p = 0.03) with both sympathetic activation interventions. However, lacrimal caruncle temperature did not vary under any condition remaining at 35.2 ± 0.2 °C which was similar to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest infrared thermographic monitoring of eye temperature in humans does not reliably relate to sympathetic activation. This could be due to hemodynamic responses at the lacrimal caruncle that may be more complex than previously proposed with sympathetic activation. Alternatively, pulse transit time seems like a promising non-invasive measure of changes in sympathetic activation in humans.
Authors: Salvador Flores-Peinado; Daniel Mota-Rojas; Isabel Guerrero-Legarreta; Patricia Mora-Medina; Rosy Cruz-Monterrosa; Jocelyn Gómez-Prado; María Guadalupe Hernández; Jesús Cruz-Playas; Julio Martínez-Burnes Journal: Int J Vet Sci Med Date: 2020-09-27