Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T16:07:12.922Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of Valine on 5-HT-mediated Prolactin Release in Healthy Volunteers, and on Mood in Remitted Depressed Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

D. J. Williamson ,
S. F. B. McTavish ,
S. B. G. Park  and
P. J. Cowen
D. J. Williamson
Affiliation:
Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
S. F. B. McTavish
Affiliation:
Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
S. B. G. Park
Affiliation:
Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
P. J. Cowen*
Affiliation:
Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
*
Dr Cowen, University Department of Psychiatry, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford OX4 4XN
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Animal experimental studies suggest that the amino acid valine may decrease brain serotonin (5-HT) function by inhibiting the transport of the 5-HT precursor, L-tryptophan, across the blood barrier. The aim of the present study was to assess whether valine could decrease brain 5-HT function in healthy subjects and provoke symptomatic relapse in recently remitted depressed patients taking antidepressant drug treatment.

Method

We studied the effect of valine (30 g) on the prolactin (PRL) response to the 5-HT releasing agent, d-fenfluramine, in healthy male subjects and on the mood of 12 remitted depressed patients taking either selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (n = 10) or lithium and amitriptyline (n = 2).

Results

Valine significantly lowered the PRL response to d-fenfluramine in healthy subjects. In the remitted depressives, valine caused a mild but detectable lowering of mood on a number of measures but only one patient experienced a significant relapse in mood.

Conclusions

Valine administration may decrease brain 5-HT neurotransmission in humans. This effect could explain the mild increase in depressive symptoms in patients taking 5-HT-potentiating drugs.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 167 , Issue 2 , August 1995 , pp. 238 - 242
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (1980) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn, revised) (DSM–III–R). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Bloxam, D. I. & Warren, W. H. (1974) Error in determination of tryptophan by the method of Denkla and Dewey. A revised procedure. Analytical Biochemistry, 60, 621–625.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, D. M. & Teasdale, J. D. (1982) Diurnal variations in clinical depression and accessibility of memories of positive and negative experiences. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91, 87–95.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cowen, P. J. (1993) Serotonin receptor subtypes in depression: evidence from studies of neuroendocrine regulation. Clinical Neuropharmacology, 16 (Suppl. 3), S6–S18.Google ScholarPubMed
Delgado, P. L., Charney, D. S., Price, L. H., et al (1990) Serotonin function and the mechanism of antidepressant action: reversal of antidepressant-induced remission of rapid depletion of plasma tryptophan. Archives of General Psychiatry, 47, 411–419.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delgado, P. L., Price, L. H., Heninger, G. R., et al (1992) Neurochemistry. In Handbook of Affective Disorders (ed. Paykel, E. S.), pp. 219–253. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Gartside, S. E., Cowen, P. J. & Sharp, T. (1992a) Evidence that the large neutral amino acid l-valine decreases electrically-evoked release of 5-HT in rat hippocampus in vivo. Psychopharmacology, 109, 251–253.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gartside, S. E., Cowen, P. J. & Sharp, T. (1992b) Effect of amino acid loads on hippocampal 5-HT release in vivo evoked by electrical stimulation of the dorsal raphe nucleus and d-fenfluramine administration. British Journal of Pharmacology, 107, 448P.Google Scholar
Lehnert, H. & Wurtman, R. J. (1993) Amino acid control of neurotransmitter synthesis and release: physiological and clinical implications. Psychotherapeutics and Psychosomatics, 60, 18–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Livesey, G. & Lund, P. (1980) Enzymatic determination of branch chain amino acids and two oxoacids in rat tissue – transfer of two oxoacids from skeletal muscle to liver in vivo. Biochemical Journal, 188, 705–713.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richards, R. P., Gordon, B. H., Ings, R. M., et al (1989) The measurement of d-fenfluramine and its metabolite, d-norfenfluramine, in plasma and urine, with an application of the method to pharmacokinetic studies. Xenobiotica, 19, 547–553.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salomon, R. M., Miller, H. L., Delgado, P. L., et al (1993) The use of tryptophan depletion to evaluate central serotonin function in depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 8 (Suppl. 2), 41–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.