Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Monoamine Changes in the Brain of Rats injected with L-5-Hydroxytryptophan

Abstract

THE hypothesis of disturbed metabolism of indoleamine in endogenous depression is supported by the facts that 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5HIAA), a main metabolite of serotonin, is decreased in the cerebrospinal fluid1,2, that serotonin concentrations in the hind brain obtained from depressed patients who have committed suicide are diminished3, and that 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP)4 and tryptophan5 can have a therapeutic effect. The efficacy of L-5HTP, the biological immediate serotonin precursor, in the symptomatic treatment of endogenous depression has been reported6, although no biochemical analyses of central monoamine changes following L-5HTP treatment have been made. We now give a description of L-5HTP-induced regional changes in central monoamine concentrations, and plasma corticosterone levels in relation to these changes.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ashcroft, G. W., Crawford, T. B. B., Eccleston, D., Sharman, D. F., MacDougall, E. J., Stanton, J. B., and Binns, J. K., Lancet, ii, 1049 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Dencker, S. J., Malm, U., Roos, B.-E., and Werdinius, B., J. Neurochem., 13, 1545 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Shaw, D. M., Camps, F. E., and Eccleston, E. G., Brit. J. Psychiat., 113, 1407 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Person, T., and Roos, B. E., Lancet, ii, 987 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Coppen, A., Shaw, D. M., Herzberg, B., and Maggs, R., Lancet, ii, 1178 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Sano, I., Psychiat. Neurol. Jap., 73, 809 (1971).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Maichel, R. P., Cox, jun., R. H., Saillant, J., and Miller, F. P., Int. J. Neuropharmacol., 7, 275 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Curzon, G., and Green, A. R., Brit. J. Pharmacol., 39, 653 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Mattingley, D., J. Clin. Path., 15, 374 (1962).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Udenfriend, S., Weissbach, H., and Bogdanski, D. F., Ann. New York Acad. Sci., 66, 602 (1957).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Bogdanski, D. F., Weissbach, H., and Udenfriend, S., J. Pharmacol. Exptl. Therap., 122, 182 (1958).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Costa, E., and Rinaldi, F., Amer. J. Physiol., 194, 214 (1958).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Bogdanski, D. F., Weissbach, H., and Udenfriend, S., J. Neurochem., 1, 272 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kuntzman, R., Shore, P. A., Bogdanski, D., and Brodie, B. B., J. Neurochem., 6, 226 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Roos, B. E., Life Sciences, 1, 25 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Everett, G. M., and Borcherding, J. W., Science, 168, 849 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ng, K. Y., Chase, J. N., Colburn, R. W., and Kopin, I. J., Science, 170, 76 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Scheiffarth, F., Zicha, L., and Förster, W., Arzneimittel-Forsch., 11, 602 (1961).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Schwemmle, K., Schmid, E., Scheiffarth, F., Zicha, L., and Schichor, E., Arzneimittel-Forsch., 11, 616 (1961).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

OKADA, F., SAITO, Y., FUJIEDA, T. et al. Monoamine Changes in the Brain of Rats injected with L-5-Hydroxytryptophan. Nature 238, 355–356 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/238355a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/238355a0

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing