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Acute tryptophan depletion slows gastric emptying in females

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Michiel A. van Nieuwenhoven ,
Sabine D. M. Valks ,
Sjacko Sobczak ,
Willem J. Riedel  and
Robert-Jan M. Brummer
Michiel A. van Nieuwenhoven*
Affiliation:
Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Sabine D. M. Valks
Affiliation:
Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Sjacko Sobczak
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Willem J. Riedel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Robert-Jan M. Brummer
Affiliation:
Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
*
*Corresponding author: Dr M. A. van Nieuwenhoven, fax +31 43 3875006, email M.vannieuwenhoven@HB.UNIMAAS.NL
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Abstract

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Serotonin (5-HT) is an important neurotransmitter involved in the brain–gut axis. It is possible to lower the 5-HT level in the body by means of a nutritional intervention using an amino acid mixture; the acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) method. We studied the effect of ATD on gastric emptying in healthy females, who received both ATD and placebo in a random order. Gastric emptying was measured using the [13C]octanoic acid breath test. The present data demonstrate significant differences in both gastric emptying and lag phase (Tlag) between the ATD and placebo experiment. Eight out of ten subjects showed a delayed gastric emptying in the ATD experiment. Both the gastric half-emptying time (T1/2) and the Tlag were significantly higher in the ATD experiment. T1/2 in the ATD experiment was 137·2 (range 76·2–634·8) min; T1/2 for the placebo experiment was 98·5 (range 63·7–168·8) min (P=0·028). Tlag in the ATD experiment was 83·7 (range 45·1–356·2) min; Tlag for the placebo experiment was 56·9 (range 23·2–101·2) min (P=0·007). We conclude that lowering the 5-HT level in the body using the ATD method leads to a significantly delayed gastric emptying of a solid meal. Nutritional manipulation of the serotonergic system in healthy volunteers may lead to alterations in gastrointestinal motility.

Keywords

Tryptophan depletionGastric emptyingSerotoninAmino acids
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 91 , Issue 3 , March 2004 , pp. 351 - 355
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2004

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