Talk:Infradian rhythm/Archive 1

Archive 1

Ultradian vs Infradian

It would probably be good to also reference Ultradian and Circadian rhythms. And link to the article on Menstrual Cycles rather than describe them here.

This definition is correct according to the OED's entry on Ultradian ryhthms, the Stedman's Medical Dictionary (infradian. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from Dictionary.com website:), primary sources like http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/42/3/295, and just plain etymology (infra = below; in the context of waves, like light, "slower than". I.e. infrared has a longer period than red.

However, be aware that the online Merriam-Webster's medical dictionary (infradian. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/infradian) returns a contrary definition -- i.e. periods shorter than a day.

Shaav 20:34, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

Dictionary.com now has no entry for infradian, however its "entry for ultradian" gives a definition from Random House that is consistent with this and the ultradian page. --ddickison (talk) 19:41, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

Infradian is definitely cycles shorter than a day, this page is wrong. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 159.92.101.25 (talk) 15:38, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

In "infrared", "red" refers to a frequency, not a period, and "infrared" means "less than red". But in "infradian", "-dian" refers to a period (a day) which suggests "less than a day" (?). lifeform (talk) 23:31, 22 April 2014 (UTC)

Googling "infradian" 23 April 2014

• Oxford dictionaries: Adjective. (Of a rhythm or cycle) having a period of recurrence longer than a day; occurring less than once a day. Origin: mid 20th century: from infra- 'below' (i.e. expressing a lower frequency)...
• Merriam-Webster: being, characterized by, or occurring in periods or cycles (as of biological activity) of less than 24 hours
• Wictionary: Cyclical with a periodicity significantly longer than 24 hours, that is, less frequent than circadian.
• Dictionary.com (The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary): Relating to biological variations or rhythms occurring in cycles less frequent than every 24 hours
• FDA Consumer , Vol. 31, No. 3: referring to cycles longer than 24 hours (for example monthly menstruation)
• Encyclopedia.com: A biorhythm whose periodicity is less than a day in length
• TheFreeDictionary by Farlex This site quotes definitions from several sources:

1. Relating to biological variations or rhythms occurring in cycles less frequent than every 24 hours (The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary)
2. pertaining to a period longer than 24 hours; applied to the cyclic behavior of certain phenomena in living organisms (Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, 3 ed. © 2007 Elsevier, Inc.)
3. Relating to biologic variations or rhythms occurring in cycles less frequent than every 24 hours (Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex) [Aside: I would have thought that nursing was a health profession.]
4. And quotes from various publications: "Rhythms shorter than 24 hours are called ultradian, while those longer than 24 hours are called infradian", "Three main cycles, or rhythms, have been identified: ultradian (20 hours or less), circadian (20 to 28 hours), and infradian (28 hours or more)", "infradian rhythms [...] range in period from several days, months, or years", "regular recurrence in cycles of more than 24 hours"

And all that is from Google's first page of hits! So what do we have?

longer than a day

significantly longer than 24 hours

cycles less frequent than every 24 hours

less frequent than every 24 hours

longer than 24 hours

a period longer than 24 hours

less frequent than every 24 hours

longer than 24 hours

28 hours or more

several days, months, or years

of more than 24 hours

of less than 24 hours (Merriam-Webster)

less than a day (Encyclopedia.com)

Sources don't agree, but the majority say significantly longer than 24 hours. So our article here, as well as Wictionary, agree with the majority. --Hordaland (talk) 08:06, 23 April 2014 (UTC)

Questionable member of "rhythym" page

Should this be listed in the "rhythym" category? Everything else there seems to be musical, this isn't. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.101.238.220 (talk) 10:22, 15 March 2008 (UTC)

pheromones

Are pheromones an exogenous cue? They seem internal in the effect described here.72.66.130.166 (talk) 22:55, 25 January 2009 (UTC)

Hmmm. That's not the way I read it. They are produced by one person (A) and affect the rhythm of another (B). From B's point of view, then, they are an exogenous cue. - Hordaland (talk) 08:44, 26 January 2009 (UTC)

"Heads up"

Removing unenclopedic text from article and placing it here. User 24.8.36.102 added the (below) text with this edit summary: (heads up to incorrect definitions of infradian rhythms added, source http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Infradian)

• "Contradicting sources state infradian rhythms to have a period of less than 24 hours, while ultradian rhythms having periods of more than one day but less than one year (old text book editions). Suggest further verification. Original definition for infradian rhythm here was stated less than 24 hours, which seems to be the CORRECT definition."

- Hordaland (talk) 16:49, 13 May 2009 (UTC)

Infradian rhythms and ultradian rhythms

Please see Coleman, A. (2001). Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford University Press which says that ultradian rhythms are LONGER than 24 hours. ACEOREVIVED (talk) 20:44, 16 May 2009 (UTC)

Yes, I believe he does say that and he was and is entirely wrong. I too was originally confused as to what the definition was because of competing/contradictory definitions in various texts. There is a large body of research on these definitions and topics, including entire university departments dedicated to the study of these rhythms - such as at the University of Minnesota or Rochester Institute of Technology. I will try to include some new links and references that pertain to its clarification.Stevenmitchell (talk) 01:01, 29 August 2009 (UTC)

The conflicting definitions are very irritating. I agree with Stevenmitchell:

• Infradian cycles have a period longer than a 24-hour day. (Typical example: the menstrual cycle.)
• Ultradian cycles have a period shorter than a 24-hour day. (The nasal cycle is an ultradian rhythm with a periodicity of two to eight hours.)

I wonder if the confusion didn't arise in discussions of the biology of organisms in intertidal ecosystems, which respond both to the ultradian ca. 12 hour cycle of high and low tide, and to the infradian approximately fortnightly cycle of spring and neap tides. I don't know this, but it's in this connection it seems most confusing to me. - Hordaland (talk) 10:55, 30 August 2009 (UTC)

Infradian cycles are shorter than 24 hours, I'm an endocrinologist, you need to swap this page with the ultradian although the latter is seldom used, instead use monthly or seasonal —Preceding unsigned comment added by 159.92.101.25 (talk) 15:41, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

Archive 1