Multifractality in the peripheral cardiovascular system from pointwise holder exponents of laser Doppler flowmetry signals

Biophys J. 2007 Dec 15;93(12):L59-61. doi: 10.1529/biophysj.107.119057.

Abstract

We study the dynamics of skin laser Doppler flowmetry signals giving a peripheral view of the cardiovascular system. The analysis of Hölder exponents reveals that the experimental signals are weakly multifractal for young healthy subjects at rest. We implement the same analysis on data generated by a standard theoretical model of the cardiovascular system based on nonlinear coupled oscillators with linear couplings and fluctuations. We show that the theoretical model, although it captures basic features of the dynamics, is not complex enough to reflect the multifractal irregularities of microvascular mechanisms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biological Clocks / physiology*
  • Blood Flow Velocity / physiology
  • Computer Simulation
  • Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Fractals
  • Heart Rate / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / methods*
  • Microcirculation / physiology*
  • Models, Cardiovascular*
  • Pulsatile Flow / physiology*