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Cognition following acute tryptophan depletion: difference between first-degree relatives of bipolar disorder patients and matched healthy control volunteers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2002

S. SOBCZAK ,
W. J. RIEDEL ,
I. BOOIJ ,
M. AAN HET ROT ,
N. E. P. DEUTZ  and
A. HONIG
S. SOBCZAK
Affiliation:
From the Brain and Behaviour Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Department of Surgery, Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands
W. J. RIEDEL
Affiliation:
From the Brain and Behaviour Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Department of Surgery, Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands
I. BOOIJ
Affiliation:
From the Brain and Behaviour Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Department of Surgery, Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands
M. AAN HET ROT
Affiliation:
From the Brain and Behaviour Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Department of Surgery, Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands
N. E. P. DEUTZ
Affiliation:
From the Brain and Behaviour Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Department of Surgery, Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands
A. HONIG
Affiliation:
From the Brain and Behaviour Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Department of Surgery, Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Abstract

Background. Serotonergic circuits have been proposed to mediate cognitive processes, particularly learning and memory. Cognitive impairment is often seen in bipolar disorders in relation to a possible lowered serotonergic turnover.

Methods. We investigated the effects of acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) on cognitive performance in healthy first-degree relatives of bipolar patients (FH) (N = 30) and matched controls (N = 15) in a placebo-controlled, double-blind cross-over design. Performance on planning, memory and attention tasks were assessed at baseline and 5 h after ATD.

Results. Following ATD, speed of information processing on the planning task was impaired in the FH group but not in the control group. FH subjects with a bipolar disorder type I relative (FH I) showed impairments in planning and memory, independent of ATD. In all subjects, ATD impaired long-term memory performance and speed of information processing. ATD did not affect short-term memory and focused and divided attention.

Conclusions. The results suggest serotonergic vulnerability affecting frontal lobe areas in FH subjects, indicated by impaired planning. Biological vulnerability in FH I subjects is reflected in impaired planning and memory performance. In conclusion, the cognitive dysfunctions in FH subjects indicate an endophenotype constituting a possible biological marker in bipolar psychopathology. Serotonin appears to be involved in speed of information processing, verbal and visual memory and learning processes.

Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 3 , April 2002 , pp. 503 - 515
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

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