W6 Thermoregulatory System Flashcards

1
Q

What is Thermoregulation?

A
  • To regulate temperature, in this case within your body.
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2
Q
  • What is Vasodilation?

- What is Vasoconstriction?

A
  • Vasodilation occurs when the body is too hot. Blood vessels get larger (dilate) and get closer to the surface of the skin allowing blood to be cooled.
  • Vasoconstriction occurs when the body is too cold. Blood vessels become narrower (constrict) to keep the blood warmer and away from the surface of the skin.
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3
Q

What are the three types of Thermoregulation? Please describe each of them

A
  1. Homeotherms
    - Constant regulation of internal body temperature regardless of external stimulus
  2. Endotherms
    - Generate heat internally
    - Maintain high basal (base layer) heat production
  3. Ectotherms
    - Depend on external heat sources
    - Temperature changes with environment
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4
Q

What is the internal temperature of our core?

A

36.5 - 37.5 degrees

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5
Q

What is hypothermia?

A
  • When the bodies core drops below 35 degrees

- COLD ONE!

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6
Q

What is hyperthermia?

A
  • When the bodies core rises above 38 degrees

- HOT ONE!

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7
Q

Give a few factors influencing body temperature:

A
  1. Body mass/composition
  2. Heat loss via environment (e.g. humidity)
  3. Heat loss via Skin (e.g. surface area)
  4. Metabolic heat production
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8
Q

What is the definition of Specific Heat Capacity?

A
  • The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a given substance by 1 degree
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9
Q

What is the law of the conservation of energy?

A
  • Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transformed from one state to another
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10
Q

How do we produce heat?

A
  1. Chemical energy in the food we eat (use it to re-synthesize ATP but its inefficient)
  2. Voluntary = Exercise
  3. Involuntary = Shivering & Action of hormones
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11
Q

Can we use VO2 as an indicator as the amount of heat produced?

A

Yes, 1L of O2 is ~20KJ of heat

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12
Q

Name a few place you can measure core temperature with a thermometer:

A
  1. Oral (under tongue)
  2. Ear drum
  3. Rectum
  4. Oesophagus
  5. Intestinal
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13
Q

Name three things skin temperature depends on:

A
  1. Ambiant temperature
  2. Distance from core
  3. Skin blood flow
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14
Q

How does heat loss occur? (4 things)

A
  1. Evaporation (liquid into vapour)
  2. Radiation (emission/electromagnetic waves)
  3. Convection (hot rises, cold falls creates currents/movement)
  4. Conduction (directly transmitted through)
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15
Q

How can we receive external heat gain?

A
  1. Sky thermal radiation
  2. Solar radiation (reflected)
  3. Ground thermal radiation
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16
Q

What is thermal gradient?

A

Heat transfer is always from high temperature to low temperature.

17
Q
  • What is evaporation?

- 1 gram of sweat = how many KJ’s of heat energy

A
  • Process of changing liquid (sweat) into vapour

- 1g sweat = 2.41KJ of heat

18
Q

What system activates our sweat glands?

A
  • Our Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) stimulates our sweat glands which is where sweat is released from
  • Increased SNS when exercising (anticipation or nerves)
19
Q

What factors influence evaporation? Do they increase or decrease it?

A
  1. Air temperature (humidity) = decreases
  2. Convection currents (wind) = increases
  3. Skin exposure (surface) = increases
20
Q

What does sweat rate depend on?

A
  • Body size
  • Absolute VO2
  • Aerobic fitness
  • Heat accumulation
  • Environment
21
Q

What is a negative feedback loop?

A
  • This is where you are trying to get the body back to homeostasis (by either heating or cooling)
22
Q

What are the physiological responses to hyperthermia (high temperature)?

A
  1. Starts with Heat Load is can be detected in the skin or the core
  2. Signals sent to hypothalamus (brain)
  3. Lastly, either start vasodilation and/or begin sweating
23
Q

What are the physiological responses to hypothermia (cold temperature)?

A
  1. Starts with Heat Load is can be detected in the skin or the core
  2. Signals sent to hypothalamus (brain)
  3. Lastly, either start vasoconstriction, shivering, release catecholamine and/or release thyroxin
24
Q

Whats the definition of Q10 (temperature coefficient)?

A
  • It is a measure of the rate of change of a biological or chemical system as a consequence of increasing the temperature by 10 degrees
25
Q

Why is performance impaired with a high core temperature?

A

Cascade of affects:

  1. Increases sweating
  2. This decreases plasma volume
  3. This decreases blood volume
  4. Which starts venous return
  5. Lastly, decreases end diastolic volume
26
Q

What are the cardiovascular consequences of a high core temperature?

A
  1. Stroke volume = Decreased
  2. Heart rate = Increase
  3. Cardiac output = Decreased
  4. Blood pressure = Decreased
  5. Total peripheral resistance = Increase
  6. Muscle blood flow = Decreased
27
Q

What are the metabolic consequences of a high core temperature?

A
  1. VO2max = Decreased
  2. Anaerobic metabolism = Increase
  3. Muscle lactate = Increase
28
Q

What are the cognitive consequences of a high core temperature?

A
Impairment in: 
- Reaction Time
- Attention
- Visual motor tracking
- Fatigue perception increased
Central fatigue:
- Brain stops sending out the neural impulses to contract the muscles to stop you exercising.
29
Q

What’s the treatment for heat exhaustion and heat stroke?

A
Treatment for Heat Exhaustion:
- Cooler environment 
- Elevate feet
- Saline (Oral or Intravenous) 
Treatment for Heat Stroke: 
- Rapidly cool body (cold water, ice bath, wet towel) 
- Seek medical attention
30
Q

What are the affects of heat acclimation?

A
  • Body temperature will be lower at a given heat
  • Sweat rate increases and sweat becomes more dilute
  • Skin blood flow is reduced more blood to muscles
  • Blood volume increases or doesn’t decrease
  • Stroke volume maintained
31
Q

What is the importance of hydration?

A
  • Staying hydrated
  • Cool drinks can help lower temperature
  • Cool drinks are absorbed in the GI tract quicker