Tryptophan depletion and depressive vulnerability

Background: Rapid and transient depletion of tryptophan (TRP) causes a brief depressive relapse in most patients successfully treated with and taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but little change in drug-free, symptomatic depressed patients. This study investigates the effects of TRP depletion in drug-free subjects in clinical remission from a prior major depressive episode (MDE), Methods: Twelve subjects with a prior MDE, currently in clinical remission and drug-free for at least 3 months (patients), and 12 healthy subjects without personal or family history of Axis I disorder (controls), received TRP depletion. The study was conducted in a double-blind controlled [full (102-g) and quarter-strength (25 g) 15-amino acid drinks], crossover fashion. Behavioral ratings and plasma TRP levels were obtained prior to, during, and after testing, Results: All subjects experienced significant depletion of plasma TRP on both test-drinks, showing a significant close-response relation, Healthy control subjects had minimal mood changes, but patients had a depressive response of greater magnitude, Conclusions: In the context of prior TRP depletion studies with antidepressant-treated and drug-free symptomatic depressed patients, these results suggest that depression may be caused not by an abnormality of 5-HT function, but by dysfunction of other systems or brain regions modulated by 5-HT. Biol Psychiatry 1999;46:498-505 (C) 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry.