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A chaotic systems analysis of the nasal cycle
Author(s) -
Winkler Michael,
Combs Allan,
Daley Colin
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 0005-7940
DOI - 10.1002/bs.3830390404
Subject(s) - attractor , chaotic , rhythm , ultradian rhythm , fractal dimension , statistical physics , mathematics , statistics , monte carlo method , fractal , mathematical analysis , computer science , physics , artificial intelligence , acoustics
The nasal cycle is a chaotic ultradian rhythm with a period ranging from about 75 to 200 minutes. It has been shown to correlate highly with EEG amplitude in the contralateral hemisphere at virtually all frequencies, suggesting a connection between this rhythm and laterality of brain function. During a three‐week period, five participants estimated airflow from both nostrils every 30 minutes during waking hours. Estimates were recorded on Likert scales and analyzed in three distinct phases: (1) reconstructing two‐dimensional attractors by lagging and embedding; (2) computing Fourier frequency analyses; and (3) estimating fractal dimensions. Attractor reconstructions demonstrate noticeable order when compared to Monte Carlo reconstructions of the same data sets, and dimension estimates are in the fractal range. The attractor reconstructions, in combination with the frequency analyses, show distinct individual differences in the structure of the nasal cycle. The advantages of chaotic systems analyses over traditional behavioral statistics are discussed.