Neuroendocrine response to an intravenous L-tryptophan challenge in women with premenstrual syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the neuroendocrine responses to an intravenous L-tryptophan challenge across the menstrual cycle in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and controls.


METHODS
Controlled clinical study.


METHODS
The Clinical Research Center of an academic research environment.


METHODS
Women with PMS and healthy volunteers.


METHODS
An intravenous L-tryptophan challenge was administered two times a week during 1 month to five subjects with prospectively documented PMS and five age- and body mass-matched controls.


METHODS
Whole-blood serotonin, cortisol, and prolactin levels were assessed at the baseline and at 30, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 minutes after the challenge.


RESULTS
Whole-blood serotonin response to the L-tryptophan challenge was blunted in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle in subjects with PMS compared with controls. Cortisol levels differed between groups and cycle phases only at the baseline, with higher baseline cortisol levels during the luteal phase in women with PMS, whereas baseline and postchallenge prolactin levels did not differ between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results support previously reported findings of alterations in tryptophan handling in women with PMS. The elevated baseline luteal phase cortisol concentrations in subjects with PMS warrants further investigation.
Rasgon
N
N
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, 90095-1740, USA.
McGuire
M
M
Tanavoli
S
S
Fairbanks
L
L
Rapkin
A
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007700:Kinetics; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D014364:Tryptophan
D012701:Serotonin; D014364:Tryptophan; D011388:Prolactin; D006854:Hydrocortisone