title: Complex demodulation of cardiac interbeat intervals: increased cardiac sympathovagal interaction during human sexual activity.
abstract: In this study, we analyzed heart rate variability during sexual activity using complex demodulation, which is a useful technique to study continuous changes in different frequency bands over short periods of time. Complex demodulation has the advantage of having higher time resolution compared to spectral analysis. We quantified the low frequency (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high frequency (HF: 0.15-0.5 Hz) amplitudes, and the LF/HF ratio before, during, and after the occurrence of orgasm. LF power is dually mediated by cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic systems while HF power is mainly influenced by cardiac vagal function. We found a significant increase of cardiac sympathovagal interaction (LF/HF ratios) during the phase of orgasm. These findings are discussed in light of normal sexual physiology and the effect of sex on cardiac autonomic function in patients with heart disease, such as myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA. vikramyershr@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Vikram K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Yeragani
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pohl
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003075:Coitus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009948:Orgasm / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology