TY - JOUR
AR - JDMC-2019-1-102
TI - The Supraclavicular Skin Temperature Response to Mild Cold Stimulation is Dependent on Ambient Temperature
AU - Helen , Budge
AU - I A, Macdonald
AU - Lindsay Jane , Robinson
AU - Michael E., Symonds
JO - Journal of Diabetes Metabolism and its Complications
PY - 2019
DA - Fri 30, Aug 2019
SN - 2674-4163
DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.JDMC.2019.01.02
UR - https://www.sciencerepository.org/the-supraclavicular-skin-temperature-response-to-mild-cold-stimulation-is-dependent-on-ambient-temperature_JDMC-2019-1-102 
KW -  Brown adipose tissue, BAT, non-shivering thermogenesis, ambient temperature, obesity
AB - Purpose: This study investigated the basal activity, and cold-induced thermogenic response, of
supraclavicular brown adipose tissue (BAT) under warm (23˚C) and cool (18˚C) ambient conditions using
supraclavicular skin temperature as a measure of BAT activity. As a highly metabolic, heat-producing
tissue, it has been hypothesised that under-active/dysfunctional BAT may underlie a pathological energy
imbalance leading to obesity.
Methods: Five lean, healthy participants underwent infrared thermography (IRT) of supraclavicular BAT
before, and during, mild cold exposure (single-hand immersion in cool water at 20˚C), once at 18˚C and
once at 23˚C. Energy expenditure (EE) was measured simultaneously using indirect calorimetry, and mean
skin temperature (TMSK) was calculated at 1-minute intervals in parallel to IRT using wireless data loggers.
Results: Following 30 minutes of hand cooling, supraclavicular skin temperature (TSCR) rose significantly
from baseline at an ambient temperature of 23˚C (∆TSCR: 0.17 ± 0.03˚C, P < 0.01), and EE rose by 0.22 ±
0.02 kJ/min, P < 0.001. At an ambient room temperature of 18˚C, TSCR after hand cooling was similar to
baseline, and EE remained unchanged. The TMSK response was indicative of a systemic vasoconstrictive
response of similar magnitude in both warm and cool ambient temperatures.
Conclusions: At 18˚C in light clothing, BAT may already be maximally stimulated at baseline, and respond
minimally to additional cold exposure. Ambient temperature is recognised as a determinant of glucose
uptake in BAT. In this study, we show, that it also modulates the TSCR response to further localised coldstimulation, indicating an effect on BAT thermogenesis.