Tryptophan levels in human cerebrospinal fluid after acute and chronic ethanol consumption

The essential amino acid tryptophan was measured in human cerebrospinal fluid by a fluorometric high-performance liquid chromatographic method. Acute ethanol consumption (80 g) by healthy volunteers lead to a decrease in tryptophan levels during intoxication. After intoxication no difference from base levels was evident. Following ingestion of a higher dose (120 g) the mean levels of tryptophan remained unchanged. Alcoholics were found to have elevated tryptophan levels in the cerebrospinal fluid as compared to healthy subjects even after abstention from ethanol for several weeks.