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Monoamine oxidase inhibitors: effects on tryptophan concentrations in rat brain

  • Conference paper
Amine Oxidases: Function and Dysfunction

Part of the book series: Journal of Neural Transmission ((NEURAL SUPPL,volume 41))

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Summary

It has been suggested that inhibition of tryptophan (Trp) pyrrolase and a subsequent elevation of brain Trp may contribute to the actions of antidepressant drugs. In our laboratories, we have conducted a series of experiments measuring brain Trp levels in the rat after both acute and chronic administration of several monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. The drugs studied during the course of the long-term (28 day) experiments were phenelzine, N2-acetylphenelzine, tranylcypromine, 4-fluorotranylcypromine, 4-methoxytranylcypromine and (-)-deprenyl. High-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection was employed to measure Trp levels in brains of both MAO inhibitor- and vehicle-treated animals. No significant increases in brain Trp levels were observed as a consequence of MAO inhibitor treatment. Acute time-response (up to 24 h) and dose-response studies were conducted following the administration of phenelzine and tranylcypromine. Only after administration of high doses of these drugs was an elevation in brain Trp observed and the increase was relatively short-lived. These results suggest that elevation of brain Trp may be an important factor in the actions of MAO inhibitors only at high doses of these drugs.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2B7

    R. L. Sherry-McKenna, J. T. F. Wong, P. R. Paetsch, G. B. Baker, D. D. Mousseau, K. F. McKenna, R. T. Coutts & A. J. Greenshaw

Authors
  1. R. L. Sherry-McKenna
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  2. J. T. F. Wong
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  3. P. R. Paetsch
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  4. G. B. Baker
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  5. D. D. Mousseau
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  6. K. F. McKenna
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  7. R. T. Coutts
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  8. A. J. Greenshaw
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Biochemistry Department, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

    K. F. Tipton

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Technion, Haifa, Israel

    M. B. H. Youdim

  3. School of Pharmacy and Biomedicai Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK

    C. J. Barwell

  4. Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, UK

    B. A. Callingham

  5. Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Dundee, UK

    G. A. Lyles

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© 1994 Springer-Verlag

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Sherry-McKenna, R.L. et al. (1994). Monoamine oxidase inhibitors: effects on tryptophan concentrations in rat brain. In: Tipton, K.F., Youdim, M.B.H., Barwell, C.J., Callingham, B.A., Lyles, G.A. (eds) Amine Oxidases: Function and Dysfunction. Journal of Neural Transmission, vol 41. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-9324-2_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-9324-2_22

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-82521-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-9324-2

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