Lower serum L-tryptophan availability in depression as a marker of a more generalized disorder in protein metabolism.
Neuropsychopharmacology
; 15(3): 243-51, 1996 Sep.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8873107
ABSTRACT
Recently, it has been reported that major and melancholic depression are accompanied by a lower availability of total L-tryptophan (L-TRP) to the brain and by significant changes in electrophoretically separated protein fractions, such as albumin and alpha 2-globulin. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between serum L-TRP availability and total serum protein, albumin, and alpha 2-globulin in 42 depressed and 24 normal subjects. In depressed and normal subjects, alone and together, there were significant and positive correlations between serum L-TRP and total serum protein or albumin concentrations. In the depressed subjects, but not in normal controls, there were significant inverse relationships between the L-TRP/competing amino acid ratio and the alpha 2-globulin fraction. Serum L-TRP and albumin were significantly lower in melancholic subjects than in normal and minor depressed subjects. Depressed subjects had a significantly lower L-TRP/competing amino acid ratio and significantly higher serum alpha 2-globulin than normal controls. Total serum protein was significantly lower in major depressed subjects than in normal controls. The results suggest that lower L-TRP availability to the brain in depression is related to lower serum albumin and to increased alpha 2-globulin fraction, which are both hallmarks of the acute phase response in depression. the results further corroborate the hypothesis that lowered L-TRP availability in depression is related to the acute phase response in that illness.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Triptofano
/
Proteínas
/
Transtorno Depressivo
Limite:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Neuropsychopharmacology
Assunto da revista:
NEUROLOGIA
/
PSICOFARMACOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
1996
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Bélgica