This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Porter, R. J. Articles by O'Brien, J. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Porter, R. J. Articles by O'Brien, J. T. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Effects of rapid tryptophan depletion on salivary and plasma cortisol in Alzheimer's disease and the healthy elderly

Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand

Elizabeth F. Marshall

Academic Department of Psychiatry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

John T. O'Brien

Institute for the Health of the Elderly, Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6BE, UK; j.t.o'brien{at}ncl.ac.uk

Serotonergic function is reduced in dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are also common. There is considerable interaction between the two systems. Effects of lowering brain serotonin on salivary and plasma cortisol were assessed in patients with DAT and in control subjects. A double-blind, cross-over design involving administration of two nutritionally balanced amino acid mixtures with or without tryptophan was used. Salivary and plasma cortisol were measured at intervals before and after the drink. DAT patients had higher salivary cortisol than controls. Despite a reduction of approximately 70% in plasma free tryptophan after 4 h in both groups, there was no effect on salivary or plasma cortisol. We conclude that, in subjects with DAT and healthy elderly subjects, acute tryptophan depletion had no effect on cortisol secretion.

Key Words: ageing • Alzheimer's disease • elderly controls • HPA axis • salivary cortisol • serotonin • tryptophan depletion

Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 16, No. 1, 73-78 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/026988110201600105


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. H. Hughes, P. Gallagher, M. E. Stewart, D. Matthews, T. P. Kelly, and A. H. Young The Effects of Acute Tryptophan Depletion on Neuropsychological Function J Psychopharmacol, September 1, 2003; 17(3): 300 - 309. [Abstract] [PDF]