title: Effects of tryptophan on depression and aggression in STZ-D mice.
abstract: Streptozocin-induced diabetic (STZ-D) mice have reduced brain concentrations of tryptophan, a precursor substance for 5-hydroxytryptamine, and show lengthened immobility in Porsolt's swim test, a putative animal model of depression. This study investigated whether tryptophan affects behavior in Porsolt's swim test in STZ-administered male National Institutes of Health Swiss mice. In addition, the effect of tryptophan on behavior in the resident-intruder test of aggression was studied. Tryptophan is effective in the treatment of mild depression and may reduce aggressive behavior. Diabetes was induced with injection of 200 mg/kg body wt i.p. STZ. Two weeks after STZ treatment, the mice received 0, 50, and 100 mg/kg i.p. tryptophan 60 min before the swim test. The STZ-administered mice exhibited lengthened immobility in the swim test, and tryptophan caused a dose-related shortening in their immobility times. The control and STZ mice, which were isolated for 1 wk before the resident-intruder test, did not show any difference in the time spent in social investigation or aggressive or defensive behaviors. However, 100 mg/kg i.p. tryptophan 60 min before the test reduced the social interaction and aggressive behavior of the STZ-D mice but increased these behaviors in controls. Results indicate that tryptophan shortens the increased immobility time and reduces social and aggressive behavior in STZ-D mice. Therefore, the reported reductions in the brain-tryptophan concentrations in STZ-D mice may participate in regulating their behavior.
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Laboratory of Clinical Studies, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hilakivi-Clarke
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D012016:Reference Values; D012919:Social Behavior; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014364:Tryptophan