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Increased plasma kynurenine and its relationship to neopterin and tryptophan in Tourette's syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

H. Rickards ,
S. M. Dursun ,
G. Farrar ,
T. Betts ,
J. A. Corbett  and
S. L. Handley
H. Rickards*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham; Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester; Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, University of Aston; Roche Products Ltd, Welwyn Garden City, Herts
S. M. Dursun
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham; Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester; Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, University of Aston; Roche Products Ltd, Welwyn Garden City, Herts
G. Farrar
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham; Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester; Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, University of Aston; Roche Products Ltd, Welwyn Garden City, Herts
T. Betts
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham; Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester; Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, University of Aston; Roche Products Ltd, Welwyn Garden City, Herts
J. A. Corbett
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham; Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester; Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, University of Aston; Roche Products Ltd, Welwyn Garden City, Herts
S. L. Handley
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham; Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester; Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, University of Aston; Roche Products Ltd, Welwyn Garden City, Herts
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Hugh Rickards, Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2QZ.
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Synopsis

Fasting plasma levels of tryptophan, kynurenine and the pteridines, neopterin and tetrahydrobiopterin were measured in seven patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) and 10 healthy controls. Plasma kynurenine was significantly elevated in the GTS patients. The lowest patient value was higher than the highest control value. Values for tryptophan, neopterin and tetrahydrobiopterin were similar in TS patients and controls. However, in TS patients only, there was a significant negative correlation between tryptophan and neopterin and a significant positive correlation between kynurenine and neopterin when controlling for tryptophan. This finding indicates that activation of cellular immune processes is a possible explanation for the rise in plasma kynurenine.

Type
Preliminary Communication
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , July 1996 , pp. 857 - 862
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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