Neuroendocrine responses to intravenous L-tryptophan in obsessive compulsive disorder

We studied the neuroendocrine responses produced by intravenous L-tryptophan (TRP) in 16 untreated patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and 16 matched healthy controls. The increase in plasma growth hormone seen following TRP was significantly greater in the OCD patients, while TRP-indu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of affective disorders 1994-10, Vol.32 (2), p.97-104
Main Authors: Fineberg, N.A., Cowen, P.J., Kirk, J.W., Montgomery, S.A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Arousal - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Growth Hormone - blood
Humans
L-Tryptophan
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neuroendocrine
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - blood
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - diagnosis
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - psychology
Obsessive-compulsive disorders
Prolactin - blood
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Receptors, Serotonin - physiology
Reference Values
Tryptophan
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Summary:We studied the neuroendocrine responses produced by intravenous L-tryptophan (TRP) in 16 untreated patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and 16 matched healthy controls. The increase in plasma growth hormone seen following TRP was significantly greater in the OCD patients, while TRP-induced prolactin release did not differ from controls. Taken in conjunction with findings from other neuroendocrine studies the data suggest that some aspects of 5-HT 1A neurotransmission may be increased in OCD. This increase may represent a compensatory change which promotes adaptation to stress in non-depressed OCD patients.
ISSN:0165-0327
1573-2517
DOI:10.1016/0165-0327(94)90067-1