Lehmann J, Persson S, Wålinder J, Wallin L
Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1981 Aug;64(2):123-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1981.tb00766.x.
Twenty-four senile dementia patients in the age range 65-85 years were subjected to a new sensitive tryptophan loading test: Dopa-Tryptophan loading ("Dop-Try loading") in order to determine whether Try malabsorption occurs in senile dementia and if so how frequent this is. For comparison the same loading test was performed on 23 subjects in the same age grouping but with normal metal function. The differences in Try absorption were statistically analyzed and this revealed that absorption was less effective in the senile dementia group. Four patients with Try malabsorption were treated with 3 G 1-Try + 50 Mg dl-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) per day orally for 20-30 days and four patients with normal absorption were treated in the same way. The Dop-Try loading test was repeated after this treatment. Two patients showed improved absorption and coincident mental improvement, while one showed decreased absorption and mental deterioration. One died during the course of the treatment. None of the four patients with normal absorption showed mental improvement after the treatment. This pilot study suggests that increase in Try absorption following the Try treatment is a necessary condition for improvement in the mental state. The study is being continued with larger numbers of patients.
对24名年龄在65至85岁之间的老年痴呆患者进行了一项新的敏感色氨酸负荷试验：多巴-色氨酸负荷试验（“多巴胺-色氨酸负荷试验”），以确定老年痴呆患者是否存在色氨酸吸收不良，若存在，其发生率如何。为作比较，对23名同一年龄组但神经功能正常的受试者进行了相同的负荷试验。对色氨酸吸收的差异进行了统计学分析，结果显示老年痴呆组的吸收效果较差。4名色氨酸吸收不良的患者每天口服3克L-色氨酸+50毫克dl-5-羟色氨酸（5-HTP），持续20至30天，4名吸收正常的患者也接受同样治疗。治疗后重复多巴胺-色氨酸负荷试验。2名患者吸收改善且精神状态同时改善，1名患者吸收下降且精神恶化。1名患者在治疗过程中死亡。4名吸收正常的患者治疗后均未出现精神改善。这项初步研究表明，色氨酸治疗后色氨酸吸收增加是精神状态改善的必要条件。该研究正在纳入更多患者继续进行。
