MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION OF HUMAN MUSCLE IN CHRONIC-ALCOHOLISM DETECTED BY USING P-31-MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY AND NEAR-INFRARED LIGHT-ABSORPTION

We previously examined the effect of alcohol on muscle energy metaboli sm in chronic alcoholics by using P-31-magnetic resonance spectroscopy . Measurements of intracellular pH and PCr index [PCr/(PCr + Pi)] duri ng resting, hand grasping, and recovery in the left flexor digitorum s uperficialis muscle of alcoholics with neurological signs showed a mar ked decrease and delayed recovery of pH, but rapid recovery of PCr ind ex indicating that the muscle produces lactate during and after exerci se to maintain the ATP level. To clarify the reason for this preferenc e for anaerobic metabolism, we conducted simultaneous measurements of the muscle blood supply during and after exercise by using the near-in frared light method and energy metabolism by using P-31-magnetic reson ance spectroscopy. In alcoholics with neurological signs, we observed a significant increase of oxyhemoglobin after exercise with a slight i ncrease of total hemoglobin. In healthy volunteers and chronic alcohol ics without neurological signs, such an overshoot of oxyhemoglobin was not observed. We conclude that chronic alcoholics with neurological s igns have an abnormality of aerobic metabolism owing to muscle mitocho ndrial dysfunction.