title: Low brain uptake of L-[11C]5-hydroxytryptophan in major depression: a positron emission tomography study on patients and healthy volunteers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Agren
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reibring
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hartvig
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tedroff
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bjurling
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hörnfeldt
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lundqvist
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Långström
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan