Refractory period (sex) after orgasm in which further sexual stimulation does not produce excitement. While the refractory period varies widely among individuals, ranging from minutes to days, most men cannot achieve or maintain an erection during this time, and many perceive a psychological feeling of satisfaction and are temporarily uninterested in further sexual activity; the penis may be hypersensitive and further sexual stimulation may feel painful during this time frame. An increased infusion of the hormone oxytocin during ejaculation is believed to be chiefly responsible for the male refractory period, and the amount by which oxytocin is increased may affect the length of
Refractory period (physiology) potential cannot be elicited. During the relative refractory period, a new action potential can be elicited under the correct circumstances. The cardiac refractory period can result in different forms of "re-entry", which are a cause of tachycardia. Vortices of excitation in the myocardium (autowave vortices) are a form of "re-entry". Such vortices can be a mechanism of life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. In particular, the autowave reverberator, more commonly referred to as spiral waves or rotors, can be found within the atria and may be a cause of atrial fibrillation. The refractory period in a neuron occurs after an action potential and