Metabolic control in a state of decreased activation: modulation of red cell metabolism.
R Jevning, A F Wilson, H Pirkle, J P O'Halloran, R N Walsh
The American journal of physiology November 1983 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.1983.245.5.c457 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Practitioners of the transcendental meditation technique |
| Intervention | Transcendental meditation technique |
| Measures | electrodermal response, plasma lactate, red cell glycolytic rate |
| Key findings | Red cell glycolytic rate declined markedly during TM, correlating with decreased plasma lactate and electrodermal relaxation, but not with sleep. Blood pH, gases, glucose, and hematocrit were unchanged, and the authors suggest a humoral agent may mediate the effect. |
Abstract
Very little is known in depth of the biochemical and physiological changes induced at the cellular level by human behavioral states. For study of the physiology of behavior at this level, the erythrocyte may be useful, because it is readily available and its metabolism and metabolic control are comparatively well understood. In this report we describe a marked decline of red cell glycolytic rate induced by the transcendental meditation technique (TM). This decline was significantly correlated with decreased plasma lactate concentration and with relaxation as indicated by electrodermal response. The occurrence of sleep was not correlated with the metabolic changes. The observed lack of variation of blood pH, blood gases, glucose, and hematocrit in this behavior implies that the decrease of erythrocyte metabolism is not an epiphenomenon of respiratory change or substrate availability. Based upon further measurements indicating persisting alteration of the red blood cell, we suggest the possibility of attachment of a humoral agent(s) to the cell in the mechanism of this effect. This behavioral effect is unique, and the effector(s) responsible may increase our understanding of metabolic control of the erythrocyte and of TM.