title: Bright ambient light conditions reduce the effect of tryptophan depletion in healthy females.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tryptophan depletion (TD) is an established method to influence the serotonergic system and mood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of TD under different ambient light conditions, measured through serotonin-associated plasma levels and a visual analog scale (VAS), on healthy females.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight healthy female s-allele carriers of the serotonin transporter promoter gene (5-HTTLPR) were administered a TD under dim light conditions (75 lx). A sub-group of 8 participants repeated the procedure randomized in two additional light conditions (585 lx and 1530 lx respectively). Prior to, and 5h following administration of TD, various variables (serotonin-associated plasma levels, VAS) were measured. Due to not normal distributed data, non-parametric statistical tests were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall analysis showed a significant mood lowering effect of TD. Moreover, TD decreased all measured serotonin-associated plasma levels significantly. Significant differences in varying light conditions were found for the VAS and plasma tryptophan, with the greatest effect of TD in the 75 lx condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of our study showed an influence of even slight differences in ambient light intensity on the effect of TD concerning mood as well as on the serotonergic system.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychiatry, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstr. 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: Michaela.defrancesco@i-med.ac.at.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Defrancesco
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niederstätter
authors.forename: Walther
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Parson
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kemmler
authors.forename: Hartmann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hinterhuber
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marksteiner
authors.forename: Eberhard A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Deisenhammer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000172:deficiency*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D014364:Tryptophan
keywords: 5-HTTLPR; Light treatment; Serotonergic system