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Experimental Evaluation of an Altered Tryptophan Metabolism in Fibromyalgia

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Developments in Tryptophan and Serotonin Metabolism

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 527))

Abstract

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a prevalent syndrome with chronic pain and a hypothesised underlying disturbance of the tryptophan (TRP) metabolism. We performed a tryptophan depletion (TD) test in 17 FM patients and 17 controls. TRP, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), kynurenine (KYN), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. Additionally pain perception was monitored in the FM patients. FM patients and controls exhibited a decrease of TRP and KYN during TD. 5-HIAA levels also decreased in all controls and in 11 FM patients, but showed a marked increase in 6 FM patients. IL-6 significantly increased during TD in the patients, but not in the controls. Pain perception was not affected in the FM patients. These data demonstrate an altered TRP metabolism in a subgroup of FM patients, where the TD seems to activate 5-HT metabolism and IL-6 production. Our findings may have diagnostic as well as therapeutic implications in the field of fibromyalgia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychiatric Hospital, University of Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, D - 80336, Munich, Germany

    MarkusJ Schwarz & Manfred Ackenheil

  2. Dept of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Munich, Munich

    Martin Offenbaecher

  3. National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda

    Alexander Neumeister

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  1. MarkusJ Schwarz
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  2. Martin Offenbaecher
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  4. Manfred Ackenheil
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Graziella Allegri , Carlo V. L. Costa  & Eugenio Ragazzi ,  & 

  2. University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Hans Steinhart

  3. Istituto G. Gaslini, Genova Quarto, Italy

    Luigi Varesio

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Schwarz, M., Offenbaecher, M., Neumeister, A., Ackenheil, M. (2003). Experimental Evaluation of an Altered Tryptophan Metabolism in Fibromyalgia. In: Allegri, G., Costa, C.V.L., Ragazzi, E., Steinhart, H., Varesio, L. (eds) Developments in Tryptophan and Serotonin Metabolism. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 527. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0135-0_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0135-0_30

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4939-6

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