Abstract
Because it is a competitive inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase, α-methyl-para-tyrosine (AMPT) is used to study psychiatric disorders. Melatonin serves as a biological marker of catecholamine function since its secretion is regulated by noradrenegic neurons via β-adrenergic receptors in the pineal gland. Ten healthy volunteers were administered AMPT in a double-blind placebo controlled study. When subjects received AMPT, nocturnal 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate (6-SM) decreased significantly as compared with promethazine (night 1 P = 0.002; and night 2 P = 0.001). Urinary MHPG also decreased on both study days (DF1,9 F = 9.82, GG = 0.0121). Nocturnal 6-SM excretion and melatonin secretion correlated highly (r = 0.91, P = 0.0007). Behavioral ratings did not reveal a difference in symptomatology and did not correlate with changes in 6-SM or MHPG. This study demonstrates in healthy controls that 6-SM reliably reflects presynaptic catecholamine depletion induced by AMPT without the emergence of behavioral symptoms.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 61-66 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | European Neuropsychopharmacology |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 1999 |
Keywords
- AMPT
- Catecholamine depletion
- Depression
- MHPG
- Melatonin
- Neurotransmission
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology
- Neurology
- Clinical Neurology
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry
- Pharmacology (medical)