Effect of L-Tryptophan on Brain Serotonin Metabolism in Depressed Patients

doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1972.01750220074014

You are seeing this message because your Web browser does not support basic Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing and what you can do to make your experience on this site better.

Vol. 26 No. 4, April 1972

Online Only
	•	Online First Table of Contents

ARTICLES

•	Online Features

This Article
•	References
•	Full text PDF
•	Reply to article
•	Send to a friend
•	Save in My Folder
•	Save to citation manager
•	Permissions

Citing Articles
•	Citation map
•	Citing articles on HighWire
•	Citing articles on Web of Science (72)
•	Contact me when this article is cited

Related Content
•	Similar articles in this journal

Social Bookmarking
	What's this?

Effect of L-Tryptophan on Brain Serotonin Metabolism in Depressed Patients

David L. Dunner, MD; Frederick K. Goodwin, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1972;26(4):364-366.

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), themajor metabolite of serotonin, was assayed in a group of fivedepressed patients before and during treatment with L-tryptophan,with and without probenecid. L-tryptophan administration wasassociated with a slight increase in the baseline levels of5-HIAA, but caused a twofold to threefold increase in the accumulationof 5-HIAA in the cerebrospinal fluid following probenecid administration.The apparent increase in brain serotonin turnover produced byL-tryptophan in these patients was not accompanied by an improvementin depression.

Author Affiliations

Bethesda, Md

From the Section on Psychiatry, Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md. Dr. Dunner is now at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York.

Footnotes

Accepted for publication July 27, 1971.

Reprint requests to Building 10, Room 4S239, National Instituteof Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Md 20014 (Dr.Goodwin).

Add to CiteULike CiteULike Add to Connotea Connotea Add to Delicious Delicious Add to Digg Digg Facebook Add to Reddit Reddit Add to Technorati Technorati Twitter What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

L-Tryptophan: A Rational Anti-Depressant and a Natural Hypnotic?
Boman
Aust N Z J Psychiatry 1988;22:83-97.
ABSTRACT

Serotonin Function and Mechanism of Action of Antidepressant Treatment: Effects of Amitriptyline and Desipramine
Charney et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1984;41:359-365.
ABSTRACT

Serotonergic Function in Depression: Prolactin Response to Intravenous Tryptophan in Depressed Patients and Healthy Subjects
Heninger et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1984;41:398-402.
ABSTRACT

A Review of REM Sleep Deprivation
Vogel
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1975;32:749-761.
ABSTRACT

REM Sleep Reduction Effects on Depression Syndromes
Vogel et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1975;32:765-777.
ABSTRACT

Amine Precursors and Depression
Mendels et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1975;32:22-30.
ABSTRACT

Hypnotic Effects of L-Tryptophan
Hartmann and Cravens
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1974;31:394-397.
ABSTRACT

L-Tryptophan in Mania: Contribution to a Permissive Hypothesis of Affective Disorders
Prange et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1974;30:56-62.
ABSTRACT

Depressive Disorders: Toward a Unified Hypothesis: Clinical, experimental, genetic, biochemical, and neurophysiological data are integrated
Akiskal and McKinney
Science 1973;182:20-29.
ABSTRACT

Cerebral Monoamines and Depression: An Investigation With the Probenecid Technique
van Praag and Korf
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1973;28:827-831.
ABSTRACT

| | |