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Plasma Amino Acids in Relation to Cerebrospinal Fluid Monoamine Metabolites in Schizophrenic Patients and Healthy Controls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Lars Bjerkenstedt ,
Gunnar Edman ,
Lars Hagenfeldt ,
Göran Sedvall  and
Frits-Axel Wiesel
Lars Bjerkenstedt*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Karolinska Institute, PO Box 60500, S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden
Gunnar Edman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Karolinska Institute, PO Box 60500, S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden
Lars Hagenfeldt
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska Institute, PO Box 60500, S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden
Göran Sedvall
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Karolinska Institute, PO Box 60500, S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden
Frits-Axel Wiesel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Karolinska Institute, PO Box 60500, S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden
*
∗Correspondence.
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Summary

Compared to healthy controls, unmedicated schizophrenic patients had significantly higher plasma concentrations of taurine, methionine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, and lysine. Except for taurine, these amino acids share the L-transport system for neutral amino acids. In the patients, homovanillic (HVA) acid levels in CSF were decreased and the plasma levels of the amino acids competing with tyrosine and tryptophan for transport into the brain, were all negatively correlated to the CSF concentrations of HVA and 5-HIAA. These findings could be explained by a change in the affinity of the L-system or by a decrease in its overall capacity in schizophrenia. Raised plasma levels of the competing amino acids may limit the brain uptake of tyrosine, leading to a diminished dopamine turnover, and resulting in a compensatory development of supersensitive dopamine receptors.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 147 , Issue 3 , September 1985 , pp. 276 - 282
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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