The interrelation of thermoregulatory and baroreceptor reflexes in the control of the blood vessels in the human forearm

1. The interrelation of thermoregulatory and baroreceptor reflexes in the control of the circulation through the forearm has been investigated in eight men. 2. The results are compatible with the current hypotheses that thermoregulatory reflexes employ exclusively blood vessels in the skin, and that baroreceptor vasodilator reflexes excited by transfer of blood from the legs to the trunk employ exclusively blood vessels in the muscles. They are compatible with the hypothesis that baroreceptor vasoconstrictor reflexes excited by transfer of blood from the trunk to the legs employ blood vessels in muscles, but not with the hypothesis that they do so exclusively. 3. The results indicate that when blood is transferred from the trunk to the legs, vasoconstriction over-rides thermoregulatory vasodilatation, presumably in the blood vessels of the skin. 4. The circulation through the skin appears, therefore, to be under baroreceptor as well as thermoregulatory reflex control, and over the short period of time examined, namely 1 min, the baroreceptor control takes precedence.