Stochastic feedback and the regulation of biological rhythms.
We propose a general approach to the question of how biological rhythms spontaneously self-regulate, based on the concept of "stochastic feedback". We illustrate this approach by considering at a coarse-grained level the neuroautonomic regulation of the heart rate. The model generates complex dynamics and successfully acounts for key characteristics of cardiac variability, including the l/f power spectrum, the functional form and scaling of the distribution of variations, and correlations in the Fourier phases indicating nonlinear dynamics.
Ivanov PCh
Department of Physics, Boston University, MA 02215, USA.
Nunes Amaral
L A
LA
Goldberger
A L
AL
Stanley
H E
HE
D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D017709:Fractals; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D013269:Stochastic Processes