Low brain uptake of L-[11C]5-hydroxytryptophan in major depression: a positron emission tomography study on patients and healthy volunteers |
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Authors: | H Agren L Reibring P Hartvig J Tedroff P Bjurling K Hrnfeldt Y Andersson H Lundqvist B Langstrm |
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Institution: | Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. |
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Abstract: | The precursor of serotonin, L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP), was radiolabelled with 11C in the beta-position, yielding beta-11C]serotonin after decarboxylation, allowing positron emission tomography studies of L-5-HTP uptake across the blood-brain barrier. We studied 8 healthy volunteers and 6 patients with histories of DSM-III major depression, 2 with repeated examinations after clinically successful treatment. We report a significantly lower uptake of 11C]5-HTP across the blood-brain barrier in depressed patients, irrespective of phase of illness. The findings emphasize that serotonin is involved in depressive pathophysiology and support earlier suggestions that the transport of 5-HTP across the blood-brain barrier is compromised in major depression. |
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Keywords: | positron emission tomography depression 5-hydroxytryptophan serotonin blood-brain barrier |
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