Tryptophan supplementation induces a positive bias in the processing of emotional material in healthy female volunteers
Tryptophan supplementation induces a positive bias in the processing of emotional material in healthy female volunteers
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DOI：
10.1007/s00213-006-0401-8
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发表时间：
2006-07-01
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Harmer, Catherine J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Murphy, Susannah E.;Longhitano, Calogero;Harmer, Catherine J.
基本原理：5-羟色胺前体L-色氨酸（TRP）可作为营养补充剂，并在许多国家被许可作为抗抑郁药。然而，其作为抑郁症主要治疗的有效性的证据是有限的，TRP对抑郁症和焦虑症症状的直接作用尚未得到很好的表征。目的：本研究评估了TRP是否会引起与抑郁症中发现的负性偏差相反的认知变化，并在健康志愿者中表现出由多巴胺能抗抑郁药引起的特征。材料与方法：38名健康志愿者随机接受14天TRP（1 g，每天3次）或安慰剂的双盲干预。在最后一天，情绪处理进行了评估，使用四个任务：面部表情识别，情绪增强惊吓，注意力探测和情绪分类和记忆。结果如下：TRP增加了女性志愿者对快乐面部表情的识别，减少了对厌恶面部表情的识别，但对男性志愿者没有影响。TRP还降低了女性对负面词语的注意警惕性，并降低了女性的基线惊吓反应。结论：这些发现提供了证据，证明女性补充TRP会在处理情感材料时产生积极的偏见，这让人想起了多巴胺能抗抑郁药的作用。这突出了5-羟色胺在情绪处理中的关键作用，并支持将TRP用作轻度抑郁症患者的营养补充剂或预防高危人群。未来的研究需要澄清色氨酸对男性这些指标的影响。
Rationale: The serotonin precursor L-tryptophan (TRP) is available as a nutritional supplement and is licensed as an antidepressant in a number of countries. However, evidence of its efficacy as the primary treatment for depression is limited, and the direct action of TRP on the symptoms of depression and anxiety has not been well-characterised. Objectives: The present study assessed whether TRP induces cognitive changes opposite to the negative biases found in depression and characteristic of those induced by serotonergic antidepressants in healthy volunteers. Materials and methods: Thirty eight healthy volunteers were randomised to receive 14 days double-blind intervention with TRP (1 g 3x a day) or placebo. On the final day, emotional processing was assessed using four tasks: facial expression recognition, emotion-potentiated startle, attentional probe and emotional categorisation and memory. Results: TRP increased the recognition of happy facial expressions and decreased the recognition of disgusted facial expressions in female, but not male, volunteers. TRP also reduced attentional vigilance towards negative words and decreased baseline startle responsivity in the females. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that TRP supplementation in women induces a positive bias in the processing of emotional material that is reminiscent of the actions of serotonergic antidepressants. This highlights a key role for serotonin in emotional processing and lends support to the use of TRP as a nutritional supplement in people with mild depression or for prevention in those at risk. Future studies are needed to clarify the effect of tryptophan on these measures in men.