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Acute tryptophan depletion and Lewy body dementias

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 March 2016

Janet L. Mace ,
Richard J. Porter ,
John C. Dalrymple-Alford ,
Chris Collins  and
Tim J. Anderson
Janet L. Mace
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Richard J. Porter*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
John C. Dalrymple-Alford
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand
Chris Collins
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Services for the Elderly, Princess Margaret Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand
Tim J. Anderson
Affiliation:
New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Professor R. J. Porter, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, PO Box 4345 Christchurch, New Zealand. Phone: +64 3 372 0400; Fax: +64 3 372 0407. Email: richard.porter@otago.ac.nz.
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Abstract

Background:

Studies using acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) to examine the effects of a rapid reduction in serotonin function have shown a reduction in global cognitive status during ATD in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Based on the severe cholinergic loss evident in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease and dementia (PDD), we predicted that a reduction of global cognitive status during ATD would be greater in these conditions than in AD.

Methods:

Patients having DLB or PDD underwent ATD in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, counterbalanced, crossover design.

Results:

While the study intended to test 20 patients, the protocol was poorly tolerated and terminated after six patients attempted, but only four patients – three with DLB and one with PDD – completed the protocol. The Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) score was reduced in all three DLB patients and unchanged in the PDD and dementia patient during ATD compared with placebo.

Conclusions:

This reduction in global cognitive function and the poor tolerability may fit with the hypothesis that people with dementia with Lewy bodies have sensitivity to the effects of reduced serotonin function.

Keywords

Parkinson's diseasedementiamemorycognitive disordersdementia with Lewy bodies
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 28 , Issue 9 , September 2016 , pp. 1487 - 1491
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2016 

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