title: Effect of tryptophan depletion on alcohol cue-induced craving in abstinent alcoholic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The capacity of alcohol cues to precipitate the desire to drink may be an important determinant of relapse to alcohol use in recovering alcohol-dependent patients. This study evaluated whether attenuation of serotonin synthesis via depletion of its precursor tryptophan reduces the magnitude of cue-induced craving for alcohol in recently abstinent alcoholic individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Alcohol-dependent patients (n = 16), 1 to 3 months after detoxification, who exhibited a 20% or greater increase in reported craving when presented with an alcoholic beverage, completed two additional alcohol cue-exposure test days, 1 week apart. Each cue exposure was preceded by administration of a concentrated amino acid drink that resulted in a rapid and significant decline in plasma free tryptophan (active depletion, no tryptophan supplementation) or a similar drink containing tryptophan (placebo depletion). Tests were conducted in a randomized, double-blind fashion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant changes in the magnitude of cue-induced craving with active tryptophan depletion compared with placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data question the dependence of alcohol cue-induced craving in sober alcoholics on the ongoing synthesis of serotonin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. ismene.petrakis@yale.edu
authors.forename: I L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Petrakis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trevisan
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Boutros
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Limoncelli
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Krystal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000431:Ethanol; D006801:Humans; D010919:Placebos; D012008:Recurrence; D012701:Serotonin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012996:Solutions; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D010919:Placebos; D012996:Solutions; D012701:Serotonin; D000431:Ethanol; D014364:Tryptophan