Abstract
Fasting plasma trytophan (TRP) levels and ratios of total plasma tryptophan to the sum of five large neutral amino acids (LNAAs)-tyrosine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine-that compete with trytophan for passage across the blood-brain barrier were found to be significantly lower in a group of 28 patients with major depression compared with 29 normal subjects and 21 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The OCD group was divided in two subgroups: Patients with OCD alone and patients with a codiagnosis of major depression. Since it has been considered that these biological parameters reflect brain tryptophan and serotonin levels, our results suggest their importance in relation to the presence or absence of depressive symptoms. The values of the other LNAAs and their sum did not differ significantly among the groups.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 85-91 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Psychiatry Research |
| Volume | 44 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1992 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Affective disorder
- isoleucine
- leucine
- phenylalanine
- serotonin
- tyrosine
- valine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
Plasma tryptophan levels and plasma tryptophan/ neutral amino acids ratio in patients with mood disorder, patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and normal subjects. / Lucca, Adelio; Lucini, Valentina; Piatti, Elisabetta; Ronchi, Paolo; Smeraldi, Enrico.
In: Psychiatry Research, Vol. 44, No. 2, 1992, p. 85-91.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Plasma tryptophan levels and plasma tryptophan/ neutral amino acids ratio in patients with mood disorder, patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and normal subjects
AU - Lucca, Adelio
AU - Lucini, Valentina
AU - Piatti, Elisabetta
AU - Ronchi, Paolo
AU - Smeraldi, Enrico
PY - 1992
Y1 - 1992
N2 - Fasting plasma trytophan (TRP) levels and ratios of total plasma tryptophan to the sum of five large neutral amino acids (LNAAs)-tyrosine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine-that compete with trytophan for passage across the blood-brain barrier were found to be significantly lower in a group of 28 patients with major depression compared with 29 normal subjects and 21 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The OCD group was divided in two subgroups: Patients with OCD alone and patients with a codiagnosis of major depression. Since it has been considered that these biological parameters reflect brain tryptophan and serotonin levels, our results suggest their importance in relation to the presence or absence of depressive symptoms. The values of the other LNAAs and their sum did not differ significantly among the groups.
AB - Fasting plasma trytophan (TRP) levels and ratios of total plasma tryptophan to the sum of five large neutral amino acids (LNAAs)-tyrosine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine-that compete with trytophan for passage across the blood-brain barrier were found to be significantly lower in a group of 28 patients with major depression compared with 29 normal subjects and 21 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The OCD group was divided in two subgroups: Patients with OCD alone and patients with a codiagnosis of major depression. Since it has been considered that these biological parameters reflect brain tryptophan and serotonin levels, our results suggest their importance in relation to the presence or absence of depressive symptoms. The values of the other LNAAs and their sum did not differ significantly among the groups.
KW - Affective disorder
KW - isoleucine
KW - leucine
KW - phenylalanine
KW - serotonin
KW - tyrosine
KW - valine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027104221&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0027104221&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0165-1781(92)90043-3
DO - 10.1016/0165-1781(92)90043-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 1480681
AN - SCOPUS:0027104221
VL - 44
SP - 85
EP - 91
JO - Psychiatry Research
JF - Psychiatry Research
SN - 0165-1781
IS - 2
ER -