Question

Through what mechanism does warming affect the peripheral circulation?

Answer 1

So basically our skin blood flow is subjected to both reflex thermoregulatory control and influence from direct warm and cooling the skin.

The changes in local temperature are capable of maximally vasodilating or vasoconstriction of the blood vessels in skin.

These effects are bought by various combination of mechanism involes endothelial, adrenergic and sensory system.

Local warming initiates a transient vasodilation through an axon relfex, succeeded by following a plateau phase by release of nitric oxide from endothelial (nitric oxide is a potent vasodialator) . The both phases are supported by sympathetic transmitters. The plateau phase is a dieaway phenomenon, a slow reversal of vasodialatation which is dependent on sympathetic vasoconstrictor nervers. The vasoconstriction happens by upregulation of alpha 2 adrenoreceptor, inhibiting nitric oxide resulting vasoconstriction.