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Tryptophan Modulation and Cognition

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Developments in Tryptophan and Serotonin Metabolism

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 527))

Abstract

The interest in the function of the serotonergic system in relation to cognition stems from three sources: (1) the association of depression, cognitive dysfunction and 5-HT dysregulation; (2) the association of drug-induced 5-HT dysregulation and cognitive dysfunction; and (3) the association of cognitive performance and serotonergic function per se. We performed several experiments in subjects at risk for cognitive impairment and in healthy volunteers, in which 5-HT was manipulated by means of either tryptophan depletion or tryptophan loading. The results show that tryptophan and cognitive performance are associated in a complex non-linear fashion. Dissociations are observed between cognitive functions: tryptophan depletion impairs memory consolidation but improves focussed attention; as well as between subject groups: tryptophan depletion impairs problem solving in healthy 1st degree relatives of bipolar depressed patients but improves it in healthy volunteers without such a family history. It was demonstrated that the mood-and memory effects of tryptophan-depletion were specifically mediated by the depletion of tryptophan and also that the observed memory and cognitive deficits were emotionally biased in a manner consistent with depressive symptoms. We conclude that experimental manipulations of tryptophan mediate temporal and frontal cognitive functions such as memory consolidation and working memory respectively, in an opposite manner.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Experimental Psychopharmacology Unit, Brain & Behaviour Institute, Universiteit Maastricht, 616, 6200, MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Wim J. Riedel

Authors
  1. Wim J. Riedel
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  2. Sjacko Sobczak
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  3. Jeroen A. J. Schmitt
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Graziella Allegri , Carlo V. L. Costa  & Eugenio Ragazzi ,  & 

  2. University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Hans Steinhart

  3. Istituto G. Gaslini, Genova Quarto, Italy

    Luigi Varesio

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Riedel, W.J., Sobczak, S., Schmitt, J.A.J. (2003). Tryptophan Modulation and Cognition. In: Allegri, G., Costa, C.V.L., Ragazzi, E., Steinhart, H., Varesio, L. (eds) Developments in Tryptophan and Serotonin Metabolism. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 527. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0135-0_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0135-0_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4939-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-0135-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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