Posted by pelorojo on December 5, 2002, at 18:30:41
In reply to Re: Supplement plan - d-,l-phenylalanine??, posted by Larry Hoover on December 5, 2002, at 13:41:45
I found this and to be honest, I don't understand it, although my intuition tells me it could be important ?
5: Neuropsychopharmacology 1999 Feb;20(2):188-97
Serotonergic and noradrenergic markers of post-traumatic stress disorder with
and without major depression.Maes M, Lin AH, Verkerk R, Delmeire L, Van Gastel A, Van der Planken M, Scharpe
S.Clinical Research Center for Mental Health, Antwerp, Belgium.
Some studies have suggested that disorders in the peripheral and central
metabolism of serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NE) may play roles in the
pathophysiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study examines
(1) the availability of plasma total tryptophan, the precursor of 5-HT, and
tyrosine, the precursor of NE; and (2) the platelet 5-HT transporter and alpha
2-adrenoceptor (alpha 2-AR) binding sites in patients with PTSD and healthy
volunteers. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to
measure plasma tryptophan and tyrosine as well as amino acids known to compete
with the same cerebral transport system; that is, valine, leucine,
phenylalanine, and isoleucine. The maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) and
their affinity (Kd) for binding to [3H]-paroxetine and [3H]-rauwolscine, a
selective alpha 2-AR antagonist, were determined. [3H]-paroxetine and
[3H]-rauwolscine binding Kd values were significantly higher in patients with
PTSD than in healthy volunteers. [3H]-rauwolscine binding Kd values were
significantly higher in patients with PTSD and concurrent major depression (MD)
than in PTSD patients without MD and healthy volunteers. Plasma tyrosine
concentrations and the ratio of tyrosine/valine + leucine + isoleucine +
phenylalanine + tryptophan were significantly higher in PTSD patients with MD
than in those without MD and healthy volunteers. The results show that PTSD is
accompanied by lower affinity of paroxetine binding sites and that PTSD with
concurrent MD is accompanied by lower affinity of alpha 2-ARs and increased
plasma tyrosine availability to the brain. The results suggest that (1)
serotonergic mechanisms, such as defects in the 5-HT transporter system, may
play a role in the pathophysiology of PTSD; and (2) that catecholaminergic
mechanisms, such as increased precursor availability and lowered affinity of
alpha 2-ARs, may play a role in the pathophysiology of PTSD with concurrent MD.Publication Types:
Clinical trialPMID: 9885798 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
poster:pelorojo
thread:129993
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021203/msgs/130692.html