title: Interactive effects of sex and 5-HTTLPR on mood and impulsivity during tryptophan depletion in healthy people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serotonin (5-HT) plays a central role in mood regulation and impulsivity. We studied whether healthy men and women react differently on mood and impulsivity measures during acute tryptophan depletion (ATD). We also studied the relative contribution of a functional length triallelic polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter, designated 5-HTTLPR, to the behavioral responses to ATD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine men and 44 women participated in a randomized, double-blind, parallel group ATD study. Behavioral measures of impulsivity and mood were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During ATD, women reported mood reduction and showed a cautious response style, which is commonly associated with depression. Men showed an impulsive response style and did not report mood reduction. The 5-HTTLPR influenced the mood response to ATD in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Healthy men became more impulsive, whereas healthy women showed mood reduction in response to ATD. This suggests that 5-HT could be one mechanism contributing to the sex differences in the prevalence of mood and impulsivity disorders. The influence of 5-HTTLPR on mood responses in women further substantiates the relevance of this variant in the pathophysiology of at least a subgroup of patients with major depressive disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway. espen.walderhaug@psykologi.uio.no
authors.forename: Espen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walderhaug
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neumeister
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lappalainen
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lunde
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Refsum
authors.forename: Nils Inge
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Landrø
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D014364:Tryptophan