We analyzed by means of autoregressive spectral analysis the spontaneous beat-to-beat heart rate variability (HRV) of quadriplegic and paraplegic male subjects at rest in the supine position. In agreement with our previous study, in nine of 15 quadriplegic patients only the high-frequency (HF: center frequency = respiratory frequency) component (a marker of vagal modulation of heart rate) was observed. In contrast, in six of the quadriplegic patients both the HF component and the low-frequency (LF: center frequency at approx. 0.1 Hz, 0.03-0.15 Hz in this study) component (a marker of sympathetic and vagal modulation of heart rate) were observed. However, in six quadriplegic patients who presented the LF component, (i) the center frequency of the LF component was lower than that in 10 healthy, sedentary, age-matched males (control I) (P < 0.01), (ii) the power of the HF component was smaller than that in the control-I group (P < 0.01) and (iii) the LF/HF power ratio (an index of sympathovagal balance) was larger than that in the control-I group (P < 0.05). On the other hand, in nine paraplegic patients with an intact 1st-4th thoracic spinal cord, from which the cardiac sympathetic nerves originate, the total power, the power of the LF component and that of the HF component were smaller than those in nine healthy, sedentary, age-matched males (control II) (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)