Wiktionary
n. 1 (context biology English) The period, after excitation, during which a membrane recovers it polarization and is not able to respond to a second stimulus 2 a recovery phase after orgasm during which it is physiologically impossible for an individual to have additional orgasms
WordNet
n. (neurology) the time after a neuron fires or a muscle fiber contracts during which a stimulus will not evoke a response
Wikipedia
Refractoriness is the fundamental property of any object of autowave nature (especially excitable medium) not to respond on stimuli, if the object stays in the specific refractory state. In common sense, refractory period is the characteristic recovery time, a period of time that is associated with the motion of the image point on the left branch of the isocline $\dot{u} = 0$ (for more details, see also Reaction-diffusion and Parabolic partial differential equation).
In physiology, a refractory period is a period of time during which an organ or cell is incapable of repeating a particular action, or (more precisely) the amount of time it takes for an excitable membrane to be ready for a second stimulus once it returns to its resting state following an excitation. It most commonly refers to electrically excitable muscle cells or neurons. Absolute refractory period corresponds to depolarization and repolarization, whereas relative refractory period corresponds to hyperpolarization.
In human sexuality, the refractory period is usually the recovery phase after orgasm during which it is physiologically impossible for a man to have additional orgasms due to increase in the penile sensory threshold (PST). Though it is generally reported that women do not experience a refractory period and can thus experience an additional orgasm (or multiple orgasms) soon after the first, some sources state that both men and women experience a refractory period because women may also experience a moment after orgasm in which further sexual stimulation does not produce excitement.
The term "refractory period" may refer to:
- Refractory period (physiology), recovery time of an excitable membrane to be ready for a second stimulus once it returns to its resting state, following excitation in the areas of biology, physiology and cardiology
- Refractory period (sex), the recovery phase after orgasm during which it is physiologically impossible for an individual to have additional orgasms
- Psychological refractory period, the delay in response to the second of two closely spaced psychological stimuli
- Postictal state, the period following a series of epileptic seizures during which seizures cannot be induced
Usage examples of "refractory period".
The number of impulses per second that can be delivered by a nerve fiber is very high and depends upon the length of the refractory period.
Just a few deep breaths into the refractory period, and he haddisengaged, yelping a little from the electric spark ofand levered himself up on one arm to see whom he'dviolated.
There, in me cleft between the pre- and post-synaptic membranes, it had somehow decreased the absolute refractory period while acting as a highly efficient transmitter substance.
A series of marginal transplants like that would place far too much strain on it, without allowing for a sufficient refractory period.