Relationship between electrical skin resistance and rectal temperature in man during physical exercise.

Electrical skin resistance (ESR) and rectal temperature (Tre) were examined in 13 unacclimated human subjects performing bicycle exercise at an intensity of 50% VO2max. After the beginning of exercise the electrical skin resistance decreased according to an exponential curve with a delay of 4 min and time constant of 9 min. The dynamic parameters of ESR were shorter than those reported for sweating. Statistical analysis showed a correlation between individual time constants of ESR and increases in rectal temperature of the subjects (r = 0.705, p less than 0.01). It is concluded that measurement of dynamics of the electrical skin resistance may be useful for estimation of thermal effects in exercising subjects.