Abstract. In this paper we apply the Asymmetric Detrended Fluctuation Analysis to the RR intervals time series. The mathematical background of the ADFA method is discussed in the context of heart rate variability and heart rate asymmetry. We calculate the α ା and α ି ADFA scaling exponents for 100 RR intervals time series recorded in a group of healthy volunteers (20-40 years of age) with the use of the local ADFA. It is found that on average α ା < α ି , and that locally α ି dominates most of the time over α ା -both results are highly statistically significant.

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The relation between recently established asymmetry in Asymmetric Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (ADFA) and Heart Rate Asymmetry is studied. It is found that the ADFA asymmetric exponents are related both to the overall variability and to its asymmetric components at all studied time scales. We find that the asymmetry in scaling exponents, i.e., $$\alpha ^{+}<\alpha ^{-}$$ α + < α - is associated with both variance-based and runs-based types of asymmetry. This observation suggests that the physiological mechanisms of both types are similar, even though their origins and mathematical methods are very different. Graphical abstract The graphical abstract demonstrates strong, nonlinear association between the expression of Heart Rate Asymmetry measured using relative descriptors and the Asymmetric Detrended Fluctuation Analysis results. It is clear that there is a strong relation between the two theoretically disparate approaches to signal analysis. The technique to demonstrate the association is loess fit.