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Serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine metabolites in transcendental meditation-technique

Journal of Neural Transmission volume 39, pages 257–267 (1976)Cite this article

Summary

The highly significant increase of 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid) in Transcendental Meditation technique suggests systemic serotonin as “rest and fulfillment hormone” of deactivation-relaxation.

Furthermore 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine, serotonin) is considered to to be the EC-cell (enterochromaffine-cell) hormone requested byFujita andKobayashi and its role for EEG synchronisation via area postrema chemo-receptor as anti arousal agent is being discussed.

The significant decrease of the catecholamine metabolite VMA (vanillic-mandelic acid) in meditators, that is associated with a reciprocal increase of 5-HIAA supports as a feedback necessity the “rest and fulfillment response” versus “fight and flight”.

As the adreno medullary tissue serves for hormonal reinforcement of orthosympathetic activity, the Enterochromaffine Cell System (having taken the form of distinct organs in some species as octopus and discoglossus) is suggested to serve via serotonin for humoral reinforcement of parasympathetic activity in deep relaxation.

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Author notes

  1. M. Bujatti

    Present address: MERU, Apollogasse 30, A-1070, Wien, Austria

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Neurochemistry, Geriatric Hospital Lainz Pav. XI, Vienna, Austria

    M. Bujatti & P. Biederer

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  1. M. Bujatti
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  2. P. Biederer
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Additional information

The results of this work have been partly contributed to the neuroscience meeting Sept. 4, 1975 at Courchevel and the MERU-Symposium Hamburg May 22, 1976.

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Bujatti, M., Biederer, P. Serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine metabolites in transcendental meditation-technique. J. Neural Transmission 39, 257–267 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01256514

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01256514

Keywords

  • Serotonin
  • Area Postrema
  • Adreno
  • Enterochromaffine Cell
  • Transcendental Meditation