Low brain uptake of L-[11C]5-hydroxytryptophan in major depression: a positron emission tomography study on patients and healthy volunteers.
The precursor of serotonin, L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP), was radiolabelled with 11C in the beta-position, yielding [beta-11C]serotonin after decarboxylation, allowing positron emission tomography studies of L-5-HTP uptake across the blood-brain barrier. We studied 8 healthy volunteers and 6 patients with histories of DSM-III major depression, 2 with repeated examinations after clinically successful treatment. We report a significantly lower uptake of [11C]5-HTP across the blood-brain barrier in depressed patients, irrespective of phase of illness. The findings emphasize that serotonin is involved in depressive pathophysiology and support earlier suggestions that the transport of 5-HTP across the blood-brain barrier is compromised in major depression.
Agren
H
H
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Reibring
L
L
Hartvig
P
P
Tedroff
J
J
Bjurling
P
P
Hörnfeldt
K
K
Andersson
Y
Y
Lundqvist
H
H
Långström
B
B
D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan