ABSTRACT
A healthy, nude human adult can be exposed to temperatures as low as 12°C or as high as 60°C in dry air and still maintain an almost constant core temperature of 37°C (Guyton and Hall 1996). The body maintains this temperature through cooling (sweating) and heat conservation (peripheral vasoconstriction, shivering, and lack of sweating) regulated by the autonomic nervous system. This process is termed thermoregulation. Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often complain of temperature sensitivity that manifests as either intolerance to heat, intolerance to cold, or profuse periodic sweating (Table 31.1).
