Brain Energy Metabolism in Two States of Mind Measured by Phosphorous Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience January 1, 2021 Malik Galijašević, Ruth Steiger, Milovan Regodić et al.
After seven weeks of focused attention meditation training, brain energy metabolism shifts in specific ways. Compared with a focused attention counting task, the meditation state showed decreased phosphocreatine/ATP and phosphocreatine/inorganic phosphate ratios, along with lower intracellular pH, especially in the basal ganglia, frontal lobes, and occipital lobes. Meanwhile, the Pi/ATP ratio, cerebral magnesium, and absolute inorganic phosphate values increased in those same areas. The changes in temporal areas and basal ganglia suggest a higher energetic state from meditation, while frontal and occipital changes may indicate reduced ATP turnover, energy state, and oxidative capacity.