[Autonomic tone and energy metabolism in students during productive learning activities]

Energy expenditures, autonomic functions, the severity of autonomic dysfunctions and personality traits were examined in 41 male students aged 18 to 23 years during their routine daily learning activities and after taking an exam in normal physiology. According to the characteristics of the baseline autonomic tone, all the examinees were divided into 3 groups: 1) those with elevated sympathetic tone EST; 2) those with elevated parasympathetic tone (EPT) and 3) an intermediate group with normal tone (NT). The EPT students showed the lowest energy exchange during routine daily learning activities. Examination-induced stress causes an elevation of mainly aerobic process in EST and EPT students. Anaerobic process increase in NT students at examinations. The parameters of autonomic functions due to examination stress also vary in students with different autonomic control. The students with EPT and worst marks showed significant changes in the measured parameters while these changes were significantly lower in EST students, but the changes in autonomic functions were much more profound in EST students who got good marks.