Bhatti T, Gillin J C, Seifritz E, Moore P, Clark C, Golshan S, Stahl S, Rapaport M, Kelsoe J
Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego 92161, USA.
Biol Psychiatry. 1998 Jan 1;43(1):52-9. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(97)80252-1.
Serotonin has been implicated in the regulation of sleep and mood. In animals a tryptophan-free amino acid drink (TFD) challenge has been found to reduce brain serotonin. We hypothesized this TFD would produce alterations in electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep commonly associated with depression, i.e. an enhancement of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and adversely affect mood ratings in humans.
We investigated the effects of a TFD challenge in 11 healthy male subjects on EEG sleep and mood (assessed by Profile of Mood States). All subjects received on separate occasions an experimental drink containing approximately 100 g of an amino acid mixture (100% TFD) and a control drink containing one fourth strength (25% TFD) of the experimental drink 5 hours prior to sleep (6:00 PM).
Both drinks significantly decreased plasma tryptophan levels 5 hours postchallenge (11:00 PM). Both drinks significantly decreased REM latency, and the 25% TFD also increased REM time and REM% compared to baseline. No significant changes were found in subjective ratings of depression; however, subjects reported confusion and tension and a decrease in elation, vigor, and friendliness compared with baseline.
These TFD findings further support the involvement of serotonin deficiency in EEG sleep findings commonly seen in depression.
血清素与睡眠和情绪调节有关。在动物实验中，发现无色氨酸氨基酸饮料（TFD）激发试验可降低大脑血清素水平。我们推测这种TFD会导致脑电图（EEG）睡眠出现通常与抑郁症相关的改变，即快速眼动（REM）睡眠增强，并对人类的情绪评分产生不利影响。
我们研究了TFD激发试验对11名健康男性受试者的EEG睡眠和情绪（通过情绪状态剖面图评估）的影响。所有受试者在睡眠前5小时（下午6:00）分别饮用含约100克氨基酸混合物的实验饮料（100%TFD）和含实验饮料四分之一浓度（25%TFD）的对照饮料。
两种饮料在激发试验后5小时（晚上11:00）均显著降低血浆色氨酸水平。两种饮料均显著缩短REM潜伏期，与基线相比，25%TFD还增加了REM时间和REM%。抑郁的主观评分未发现显著变化；然而，与基线相比，受试者报告出现困惑和紧张，以及愉悦感、活力和友好度下降。
这些TFD研究结果进一步支持血清素缺乏与抑郁症中常见的EEG睡眠表现有关。
