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Converging evidence for central 5-HT effects in acute tryptophan depletion?

Molecular Psychiatry volume 18, pages 271–272 (2013)Cite this article

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Acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) is a widely used dietary method to assess the function of serotonin (5-HT) in cognition and behavior. As such, ATD-based studies have implicated 5-HT in numerous cognitive functions and has advanced our understanding of depression and affective disorders. However, recently two critical reports have been published that call the validity of ATD into question.1, 2

In a feature review, van Donkelaar et al.2 recently pointed out that “caution is required when interpreting ATD in terms of a selective serotonergic effect”. These authors argue that there is insufficient proof for altered 5-HT release following ATD and point to alternative mechanisms through which ATD can exert its effects (see also Feenstra et al.1).

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  1. Department of Psychiatry & Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, Utrecht, 3584 CG, The Netherlands

    G van der Plasse

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  1. G van der Plasse
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Correspondence to G van der Plasse.

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van der Plasse, G. Converging evidence for central 5-HT effects in acute tryptophan depletion?. Mol Psychiatry 18, 271–272 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2012.44

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