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The effects of experimentally lowered serotonin function on emotional information processing and memory in remitted depressed patients

¹ Department of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
² Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
³ Department of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands and Psychomedical Center Parnassia, The Hague, The Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands and Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

	Abstract

Background

It has been well documented that acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) induces symptoms in remitted depressed patients treated with an SSRI. ATD also has effects on cognition, both in patients and in healthy samples. The exact nature of ATD–induced cognitive changes in depression remains unclear. It is also unclear whether cognitive effects can be induced through partial ('low–dose') depletion. The aim of this study is to investigate the differential effects of low–dose and high–dose ATD on emotional information processing and mood in remitted depressed patients.

Methods

Eighteen remitted depressed patients received high–dose and a low–dose ATD in a randomized, double–blind, within–subjects crossover design. Mood was assessed before and after administration of the depletion drink. Five hours after administration, patients conducted tests measuring neutral and emotional information processing.

Results

High–dose ATD increased depressive symptoms and induced a temporary depressive 'relapse' in half of the patients. High–dose ATD also decreased the recognition of fear and impaired learning and memory retrieval. The impaired learning occurred only in mood–responders. Low–dose ATD had no effects on mood but speeded the recognition of facial expressions of disgust. Accurate recognition of sad faces at baseline was associated with mood response to ATD.

Conclusions

High–dose ATD leads to changes in memory and in the recognition of negative facial expressions in SSRI–treated remitted depressed patients. The effect of low–dose ATD on mood and cognition seems to be quite limited. Emotional information processing at baseline predicts moodresponse to ATD.

Key Words: 0

First published on February 28, 2008, doi:10.1177/0269881107081531

Journal of Psychopharmacology 2008;22:653.

A more recent version of this article appeared on August 1, 2008


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