Acute tryptophan depletion in accordance with body weight: influx of amino acids across the blood-brain barrier.

ABSTRACT: Acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) is a method of reducing central nervous serotonin (5-HT) synthesis in humans by administering an amino acid (AA) beverage lacking in tryptophan (TRP), the physiological precursor of 5-HT. However, to date, the use of conventional ATD protocols in children and adolescents was limited due to frequently observed side effects (e.g., vomiting and nausea). This study investigated the effects of diminished central nervous system 5-HT synthesis on plasma concentrations of relevant AAs and TRP influx into the brain in 24 healthy young adults using the ATD procedure Moja-De, a test protocol that has been used in preliminary research in youths. Twenty-four healthy participants received ATD and a TRP-balanced amino acid load (BAL) using a randomized double-blind within

SUBMITTER: Dingerkus VL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3424286 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature