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Partial spectral element in the chronome of a human neonatal heart rate at term
Yoshihiko Watanabe1, Germaine Cornélissen, Theodor Hellbrügge
1Tokyo Women's Medical University, Daini Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. yoshi-w@jd5.so-net.ne.jp
Insights
This study reveals initial infradian prominence in heart rate rhythms of newborns, dominated by weekly and 26-day cycles. These rhythms later shift to circadian prominence in the first 40 days of life.
Area of Science:
- Chronobiology
- Infant physiology
- Heart rate variability
Background:
- The chronome, or the body's time structure, influences physiological processes.
- Previous studies indicated infradian rhythms in premature infants.
- Anticipation of infradian prominence in term infants was based on shorter data segments.
Observation:
- This study longitudinally tracked the spectral element of the chronome in a term-born infant.
- Half-hourly heart rate data was analyzed for the first 40 days post-birth.
- An initial infradian prominence was observed in the infant's heart rate spectral data.
Findings:
- The infant's heart rate exhibited dominant circaseptan (weekly) or circasemiseptan (half-weekly) components initially.
- A significant circatrigintan (approximately 26-day) component was also prominent.
- A notable shift from infradian to circadian prominence occurred within the 40-day observation period.
Implications:
- Provides longitudinal evidence of infradian rhythm development in term infants.
- Highlights the dynamic nature of infant heart rate chronome.
- Suggests potential for early detection of developmental changes through heart rate rhythm analysis.
Abstract:
An initial infradian prominence characterizes the spectral element of the chronome or the time structure of half-hourly heart rates during the first 40 days after birth of a boy born at term. Immediately pertinent infradian prominence, which was previously documented for many premature infants and anticipated from the integration of 2-day segments of half-hourly data from infants born at term, is now displayed longitudinally. Dominating first are an about-weekly (circaseptan) or half-weekly (circasemiseptan) and an about 26-day (circatrigintan) component, with a subsequent change from infradian to circadian prominence.