Summary
Serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) were determined in seven brain regions of semistarved and control male rats. After semistarvation on a high carbohydrate diet serotonin turnover, as indicated by 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio, was increased in the total brain and several regions both three and 24 hours after the last meal. In contrast, after semistarvation on a high-protein diet serotonin turnover was decreased three hours after ingestion of the final meal, but increased 24 hours thereafter. Compulsary running wheel activity for one hour did not influence diet inducet changes in serotonin turnover. Alterations in plasma corticosterone during semistarvation were not related to changes in central serotonin turnover. Data suggest that the interaction of caloric restriction and diet composition determines serotonin turnover during semistarvation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acworth I, Nicholass I, Morgan B, Newsholeme EA (1986) Effect of sustained exercise on concentrations of plasma aromatic and branched-chain amino acids and brain amines. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 137: 149–153
Chang JY, Knecht R, Braun DG (1983) Amino acid analysis in the picomole range by precolumn derivatization and high performance liquid chromatography. Methods Enzymol 91: 41–48
Chaouloff F, Elgholzi JL, Guezennec Y, Laude D (1985) Effects of conditioned running on plasma, liver and brain tryoptophan and on brain 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism of the rat. Br J Pharmacol 86: 33–41
Dickerson JWT, Pao SK (1975) The effect of a low protein diet and exogenous insulin on brain trytophan and its metabolites in the weanling rat. Neurochemistry 25: 559–564
Fuenmayor LD, Garcia S (1984) The effect of fasting on 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism in brain regions of the of the albino rat. Br J Pharmacol 83: 357–362
Glowinski I, Iversen LL (1966) Regional studies of catecholamines in the rat brain I. J Neurochem 13: 655–669
Green AR, Gurzon G (1975) Effects of hydrocortisone and immobilization on tryptophan metabolism in brain and liver of rats of different ages. Biochem Pharmacol 24: 713–716
Green AR, Sourkes TL, Young SN (1975) Liver and brain tryptophan metabolism following hydrocortisone administration to rats and gerbils. Br J Pharmacol 53: 287–292
Kantak KM, Wayner MJ, Stein JM (1978) Effects of various periods of food deprivation on serotonin turnover in the lateral hypothalamus. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 9: 529–534
Kaye WH, Ebert MH, Gwirtsman HE, Weiss SR (1984) Differences in brain serotonergic metabolism between nonbulimic and bulimic patients with anorexia nervosa. Am J Psychiatry 141: 1598–1601
Knott PJ, Curzon G (1972) Free trytophan in plasma and brain tryptophan metabolism. Nature 239: 452–453
Kohsaka S, Takamatsu K, Tsukada Y (1980) Effect of food restriction on serotonin metabolism in rat brain. Neurochem Res 5: 69–79
Lucas AR (1981) Towards the understanding of anorexia nervosa as a disease entity. Mayo Clin Proc 56: 254–264
Miller M, Hasson R, Morgane PJ, Resnick O (1980) Adrenalectomy: its effects on systemic tryptophan metabolism in normal and protein malnourished rats. Brain Res Bull 5: 451–459
Neckers L, Sze PY (1975) Regulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism in mouse brain by adrenal glucocorticoids. Brain Res 93: 123–132
Norusis MJ (1983) SPSS Introductory statistics guide. McGraw-Hill, New York
Pirke KM, Spyra B (1982) Catecholamine turnover in the brain and the regulation of luteinizing hormone and corticosterone in starved male rats. Acta Endocrinol 100: 168–176
Reinhard JF, Moskowitz MA, Sved AF, Fernstrom JD (1980) A simple, sensitive and reliable assay for serotonin and 5-HIAA in brain tissue using liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Life Sci 27: 905–911
Schweiger U, Warnhoff M, Pahl J, Pirke KM (1986) Effects of carbohydrate and protein meals on plasma large neutral amino acids, glucose, and insulin plasma levels of anorectic patients. Metabolism 35: 938–943
Wurtman RJ, Hefti F, Melamed E (1981) Precursor control of neurotransmitter synthesis. Pharmacol Rev 32: 315–335
Wurtman RJ, Fernstrom JD (1975) Control of brain monoamine synthesis by diet and plasma amino acids. Am J Clin Nutr 28: 638–647
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schweiger, U., Broocks, A., Tuschl, R.J. et al. Serotonin turnover in rat brain during semistarvation with high-protein and high-carbohydrate diets. J. Neural Transmission 77, 131–139 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01248926
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01248926