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Food-derived serotonergic modulators: effects on mood and cognition
Sjoerd Hulsken1, Antje Märtin, M Hasan Mohajeri
1Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein 21 (route 126), 6525 EZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Nutrition Research Reviews
|October 19, 2013
Summary
Dietary tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, may offer an alternative to mood disorder drugs by improving mood and cognition. Optimal levels show an inverted U-shaped curve, with moderate intake benefiting cognitive function in humans and rodents.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Nutritional Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and monoamine oxidase inhibitors are common mood disorder treatments but have side effects.
- Serotonin synthesis depends on tryptophan, a nutrient precursor found in various foods.
- Dietary interventions offer a potential alternative for mood and cognitive enhancement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of tryptophan-rich foods and plant extracts on mood and cognition.
- To explore the dose-response relationship between plasma tryptophan levels and cognitive function.
- To compare these effects in healthy and vulnerable human subjects and animal models.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of high- and low-tryptophan foods.
- Assessment of plant extracts with monoamine reuptake and MAO-A inhibition properties.
- Evaluation of mood and cognition in human and rodent subjects.
Main Results:
- An inverted U-shaped curve was observed for plasma tryptophan levels and cognitive function, with moderate to high levels improving cognition.
- This inverted U-shaped relationship appears consistent across healthy and vulnerable individuals.
- Preliminary evidence suggests a similar, though potentially concentration-dependent, relationship for mood.
Conclusions:
- Dietary tryptophan and related compounds show potential for improving mood and cognition.
- Understanding the optimal tryptophan concentrations is key for therapeutic applications.
- Further animal studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action for food-derived serotonergic components.
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