Brain Energy Metabolism in Two States of Mind Measured by Phosphorous Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.
Malik Galijašević, Ruth Steiger, Milovan Regodić, Michaela Waibel, Patrick Julian David Sommer, Astrid Ellen Grams, Nicolas Singewald, Elke Ruth Gizewski
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience January 1, 2021 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.686433 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAfter 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.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 27 |
| Population | Participants after 7 weeks of focused attention meditation training |
| Duration | 7-week training |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Brain energy metabolism Magnetic resonance Phosphorous Spectroscopy |
| Key finding | Focused attention meditation alters brain energy metabolism, with decreased PCr/ATP, PCr/Pi, and intracellular pH, and increased Pi/ATP, Mg, and Pi in several brain regions compared to a control awake state. |
Abstract
Introduction: Various functional neuroimaging studies help to better understand the changes in brain activity during meditation. The purpose of this study was to investigate how brain energy metabolism changes during focused attention meditation (FAM) state, measured by phosphorous magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). Methods: 31P-MRS imaging was carried out in 27 participants after 7 weeks of FAM training. Metabolite ratios and the absolute values of metabolites were assessed after meditation training in two MRI measurements, by comparing effects in a FAM state with those in a distinct focused attention awake state during a backwards counting task. Results: The results showed decreased phosphocreatine/ATP (PCr/ATP), PCr/ inorganic phosphate (Pi), and intracellular pH values in the entire brain, but especially in basal ganglia, frontal lobes, and occipital lobes, and increased Pi/ATP ratio, cerebral Mg, and Pi absolute values were found in the same areas during FAM compared to the control focused attention awake state. Conclusions: Changes in the temporal areas and basal ganglia may be interpreted as a higher energetic state induced by meditation, whereas the frontal and occipital areas showed changes that may be related to a down-regulation in ATP turnover, energy state, and oxidative capacity.