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H. Schmid-Schönbein
passive reflection of influences of the arterial pressure. Conversely, as the investigations are being carried out in uncomfortably cool environments, the periodicity
of the fluctuations is highlighted by very powerful vasoconstrictor episodes, which,
however, are regularly “interrupted” by a typical “escape” reaction, in which there
is a short, self-limiting vasorelaxation interlude.
These intermittencies of the perfusion are interestingly accompanied by a subjective feeling of “warming” of the hand, and it can be proposed that the vasodilator
reactions constitute some local event reminiscent of the “hunting reaction” long
known to occur when extremities are exposed to very cool environment (see textbooks of physiology). Note in Fig. 7.5 that an entirely different pattern is seen in
the time course of the vasoconstriction/vasorelaxation sequences, and, most importantly, the normalised power of the activity in the range between 0.01 Hz and 0.1 Hz
is very marked. Based on the results so far displayed, one can make the following
preliminary statement. In using the “double plots” from two independent measuring
sites and three different time physiological events, one can see that the ca 0.15 Hz
band activity has a characteristic temporal pattern and is reflected in an activity
in the 0.01 Hz to 0.1 Hz range which represents beat phenomena. The myogenic
vasomotion with its sinusoidal activity also shows pronounced power in the 0.01–
0.1 Hz range, but an entirely different combination of patterns in the time series and
the frequency chromatogram. Lastly, powerful vasoconstrictor activity with escape
phenomena associated with high energy in the 0.01 Hz to 0.1 Hz band as found
in the records in very cool environment represents still another type of reaction.
These three different patterns, to which the ones obtained in the measurements in
thermoregulatory indifference temperatures must be added, clearly show that at least
four different physiological situations can be identified with marked activity in the
so-called low frequency range (associated by most authors with the activity of the
sympathetic nervous system).
In short, then, only the conservation and utilisation of information in the amplitude
and the frequency domain allows to identify the various different mechanisms determining the “quasi-attractors” identifiable in healthy human subjects and in patients.
This straightforward logic can be extended by additionally monitoring the effects
of venous pressure alterations in association with increase in venous return subsequent to deep inspiration (v.i.). As a preliminary conclusion, computer-based noninvasive cardiovascular diagnostics can start from the assumptions that we are now in
command of reliable indicators for the “penetration” of effectors outside of the range
of vasoconstriction/vasomotion in the cutaneous skin. Suffice it to say in the present
context that in the domain of cutaneous perfusion, when psychophysical relaxation
has been established, a more or less rapid evolution of a wide variety of attractors
has become possible. There are many combinations of regularly configurated superpositions of the cardiac activity, of the respiratory activity (0.25 Hz–0.3 Hz at rest in
adults subjects), of the activity in the 0.15 Hz range (characterised by beat), and of at
least three periodic mechanisms in the range between 0.1 Hz and 0.01 Hz: they exist
in combination and their activity can now be objectively documented. As the investigations were extended to cases of severe peripheral occlusive arterial disease with
deficiency of epidermal perfusion, and to other tissues, a further elucidation of the
H. Schmid-Schönbein
passive reflection of influences of the arterial pressure. Conversely, as the investigations are being carried out in uncomfortably cool environments, the periodicity
of the fluctuations is highlighted by very powerful vasoconstrictor episodes, which,
however, are regularly “interrupted” by a typical “escape” reaction, in which there
is a short, self-limiting vasorelaxation interlude.
These intermittencies of the perfusion are interestingly accompanied by a subjective feeling of “warming” of the hand, and it can be proposed that the vasodilator
reactions constitute some local event reminiscent of the “hunting reaction” long
known to occur when extremities are exposed to very cool environment (see textbooks of physiology). Note in Fig. 7.5 that an entirely different pattern is seen in
the time course of the vasoconstriction/vasorelaxation sequences, and, most importantly, the normalised power of the activity in the range between 0.01 Hz and 0.1 Hz
is very marked. Based on the results so far displayed, one can make the following
preliminary statement. In using the “double plots” from two independent measuring
sites and three different time physiological events, one can see that the ca 0.15 Hz
band activity has a characteristic temporal pattern and is reflected in an activity
in the 0.01 Hz to 0.1 Hz range which represents beat phenomena. The myogenic
vasomotion with its sinusoidal activity also shows pronounced power in the 0.01–
0.1 Hz range, but an entirely different combination of patterns in the time series and
the frequency chromatogram. Lastly, powerful vasoconstrictor activity with escape
phenomena associated with high energy in the 0.01 Hz to 0.1 Hz band as found
in the records in very cool environment represents still another type of reaction.
These three different patterns, to which the ones obtained in the measurements in
thermoregulatory indifference temperatures must be added, clearly show that at least
four different physiological situations can be identified with marked activity in the
so-called low frequency range (associated by most authors with the activity of the
sympathetic nervous system).
In short, then, only the conservation and utilisation of information in the amplitude
and the frequency domain allows to identify the various different mechanisms determining the “quasi-attractors” identifiable in healthy human subjects and in patients.
This straightforward logic can be extended by additionally monitoring the effects
of venous pressure alterations in association with increase in venous return subsequent to deep inspiration (v.i.). As a preliminary conclusion, computer-based noninvasive cardiovascular diagnostics can start from the assumptions that we are now in
command of reliable indicators for the “penetration” of effectors outside of the range
of vasoconstriction/vasomotion in the cutaneous skin. Suffice it to say in the present
context that in the domain of cutaneous perfusion, when psychophysical relaxation
has been established, a more or less rapid evolution of a wide variety of attractors
has become possible. There are many combinations of regularly configurated superpositions of the cardiac activity, of the respiratory activity (0.25 Hz–0.3 Hz at rest in
adults subjects), of the activity in the 0.15 Hz range (characterised by beat), and of at
least three periodic mechanisms in the range between 0.1 Hz and 0.01 Hz: they exist
in combination and their activity can now be objectively documented. As the investigations were extended to cases of severe peripheral occlusive arterial disease with
deficiency of epidermal perfusion, and to other tissues, a further elucidation of the