title: Tyrosine hydroxylase, tryptophan hydroxylase, biopterin, and neopterin in the brain of anorexia nervosa.
abstract: The activities of tyrosine hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase and contents of biopterin and neopterin were measured for the first time in various regions of human brain from a patient with anorexia nervosa (AN). In AN as compared with controls, tyrosine hydroxylase activity was markedly reduced in all brain regions analyzed, while tryptophan hydroxylase activity and biopterin content had a tendency to increase. Neopterin content did not change dramatically. The opposite changes of tyrosine hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase suggest an imbalance between the activity of catecholaminergic neurons and that of serotonergic neurons, and may be related to pathogenesis of AN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iizuka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagatsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019798:Neopterin; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase