Fractal Fluctuations in Breath Number, Period, and Amplitude are Independently Controlled in Awake, Healthy Humans

Abstract

The present study was designed to characterize respiratory fluctuations in awake, healthy humans under resting conditions. Specifically, we used Allan factor and dispersional analysis to test whether the fluctuations in breath number, respiratory period, and breath amplitude were fractal or random in nature. The results can be summarized as follows. Fluctuations in all three parameters were fractal in nine subjects. There were four subjects in whom only the fluctuations in breath number and amplitude were fractal, three subjects in whom only fluctuations in breath number were fractal, and two subjects in whom only fluctuations in breath number and respiratory period were fractal. Fluctuations in the three parameters occurred randomly in the remaining two subjects. The data suggest that fractal fluctuations in breath number, respiratory period, and breath amplitude are controlled by separate processes.