Pertovaara et al. (A-50) compared the effect of skin temperature on the critical threshold temperature eliciting heat pain with the effect of skin temperature on the response latency to the first heat pain sensation. Subjects were healthy adults between the ages of 23 and 54 years. Among the data collected were the following latencies (seconds) to the first pain response induced by radiant heat stimulation at three different skin temperatures:

Subject 25

C 30

C 35

C 1 6.4 4.5 3.6 2 8.1 5.7 6.3 3 9.4 6.8 3.2 4 6.75 4.6 3.9 5 10 6.2 6.2 6 4.5 4.2 3.4 Source: Data provided courtesy of Dr. Antti Pertovaara.