title: [Tryptophan metabolism and oligophrenia (author's transl)].
abstract: After dealing with the biochemistry of tryptophan metabolism the most important results obtained in humans are presented. Special emphasis is given to the hereditary defects of tryptophan metabolism associated with mental retardation and convulsions due to lack of pyridoxine. The author's findings demonstrate the existence of a hereditary disturbance of the tryptophan metabolism via kynurenine in a certain part of oligophrenic patients. This metabolic defect can be controlled by high doses of vitamin B6. Furthermore investigations conducted with a view to interpreting these results are discussed, especially the determination of kynureninase activity, serotonin blood levels and pyridine nucleotide synthesis.
mesh_terms: D000592:Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000175:diagnosis; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D006250:Hartnup Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000378:metabolism; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000378:metabolism*; D014977:Xanthurenates / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014977:Xanthurenates; D007737:Kynurenine; D014364:Tryptophan; D011736:Pyridoxine
vernacular_title: Tryptophanstoffwechsel und Oligophrenie. Teil 1: Literaturübersicht.