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Elevated tryptophan levels in post-withdrawal alcoholics
1Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|December 1, 1996
Summary
Alcohol-dependent individuals show increased serum tryptophan levels post-withdrawal, suggesting a disturbance in serotonin precursor availability. This finding highlights the serotonin system's role in alcoholism.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Serotonin system dysfunction and altered tryptophan availability are linked to psychiatric disorders, including alcoholism.
- Tryptophan is a crucial precursor for serotonin synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate serum free tryptophan levels in alcohol-dependent subjects post-withdrawal.
- To examine the relationship between tryptophan levels, cortisol, and alcoholism characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Serum free tryptophan and basal serum cortisol levels were measured in 42 alcohol-dependent subjects and 31 healthy controls.
- Alcohol-dependent subjects had abstained from alcohol for at least 2.5 weeks.
Main Results:
- Alcohol-dependent subjects exhibited significantly higher serum tryptophan levels (43.7 mumol l-1) compared to controls (33.0 mumol l-1).
- Elevated basal serum cortisol levels were observed in alcohol-dependent subjects, but not directly correlated with tryptophan levels.
- The increase in tryptophan was consistent across subjects regardless of alcoholism onset, family history, or sociopathic traits.
Conclusions:
- Post-withdrawal alcoholics demonstrate a disturbance in serotonin precursor availability.
- These findings support the involvement of the serotonin system in the pathophysiology of alcoholism.