OBJECTIVE: Extracellular dopamine concentrations were estimated through measurement of [(11)C]raclopride binding with positron emission tomography after dietary manipulation of the dopamine precursors tyrosine and phenylalanine. METHOD: Healthy male subjects were scanned on two occasions: once after receiving a balanced amino acid drink and once after receiving a drink mixture from which tyrosine and phenylalanine were omitted. RESULTS: Dietary tyrosine and phenylalanine depletion increased [(11)C]raclopride binding in the striatum by a mean of 6%. The change in [(11)C]raclopride binding correlated significantly with the fall in the ratio of tyrosine and phenylalanine to large neutral amino acids. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first demonstration of an effect of a dietary manipulation on brain dopamine release in humans. This result provides support for the further investigation of the role of dietary manipulations in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
OBJECTIVE: Extracellular dopamine concentrations were estimated through measurement of [(11)C]raclopride binding with positron emission tomography after dietary manipulation of the dopamine precursors tyrosine and phenylalanine. METHOD: Healthy male subjects were scanned on two occasions: once after receiving a balanced amino acid drink and once after receiving a drink mixture from which tyrosine and phenylalanine were omitted. RESULTS: Dietary tyrosine and phenylalanine depletion increased [(11)C]raclopride binding in the striatum by a mean of 6%. The change in [(11)C]raclopride binding correlated significantly with the fall in the ratio of tyrosine and phenylalanine to large neutral amino acids. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first demonstration of an effect of a dietary manipulation on brain dopamine release in humans. This result provides support for the further investigation of the role of dietary manipulations in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Authors: Andres H Neuhaus; Terry E Goldberg; Youssef Hassoun; John A Bates; Katharine W Nassauer; Serge Sevy; Carolin Opgen-Rhein; Anil K Malhotra Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2009-04-07 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Brian Hitsman; James MacKillop; Anne Lingford-Hughes; Tim M Williams; Faheem Ahmad; Sally Adams; David J Nutt; Marcus R Munafò Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2007-11-25 Impact factor: 4.530