Modulation of neural response to happy and sad faces by acute tryptophan depletion

Paolo Fusar-Poli; Paul Allen; Francis Lee; Simon Surguladze; Nigel Tunstall; Cynthia H.Y. Fu; Michael J. Brammer; Anthony J. Cleare; Philip McGuire

doi:10.1007/s00213-007-0757-4

Modulation of neural response to happy and sad faces by acute tryptophan depletion

Paolo Fusar-Poli, Paul Allen, Francis Lee, Simon Surguladze, Nigel Tunstall, Cynthia H.Y. Fu, Michael J. Brammer, Anthony J. Cleare, Philip McGuire

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

Background Central serotonin (5HT) plays a major role in emotional processing. We used functional neuroimaging (fMRI) to investigate the effects of experimental manipulation of central 5HT levels on the regional neural response to happy and sad facial expressions.Methods Ten healthy participants (eight men and two women) were scanned during an implicit emotional processing task after receiving a tryptophan-free (acute tryptophan depletion, ATD) or a balanced amino acid drink in a double-blind design.Results ATD lowered total plasma tryptophan concentration by 80%. There was no significant effect on subjective mood ratings, on response accuracy and on reaction times. Compared to sham depletion, ATD attenuated activation in the right medial/inferior frontal gyrus, the posterior cingulate cortex, the occipital and parietal cortex bilaterally, the right hippocampus, claustrum and insula. Conversely, ATD was associated with relatively increased activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus. ATD had differential effects on activation during the processing of happy and sad faces in the right putamen and in the left superior temporal gyrus.Conclusions In both cortical and sub-cortical regions, the neural response associated with processing emotional faces is significantly modulated by 5HT manipulation resulting from ATD. Moreover, in certain areas, this effect of 5HT depends on the emotional valence of the stimulus.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	31-44
Journal	Psychopharmacology
Volume	193
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-007-0757-4
Publication status	Published - 2007

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10.1007/s00213-007-0757-4

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-007-0757-4

Cite this

@article{b6afc37df4454c768651a1e6a9501257,

title = "Modulation of neural response to happy and sad faces by acute tryptophan depletion",

abstract = "Background Central serotonin (5HT) plays a major role in emotional processing. We used functional neuroimaging (fMRI) to investigate the effects of experimental manipulation of central 5HT levels on the regional neural response to happy and sad facial expressions.Methods Ten healthy participants (eight men and two women) were scanned during an implicit emotional processing task after receiving a tryptophan-free (acute tryptophan depletion, ATD) or a balanced amino acid drink in a double-blind design.Results ATD lowered total plasma tryptophan concentration by 80%. There was no significant effect on subjective mood ratings, on response accuracy and on reaction times. Compared to sham depletion, ATD attenuated activation in the right medial/inferior frontal gyrus, the posterior cingulate cortex, the occipital and parietal cortex bilaterally, the right hippocampus, claustrum and insula. Conversely, ATD was associated with relatively increased activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus. ATD had differential effects on activation during the processing of happy and sad faces in the right putamen and in the left superior temporal gyrus.Conclusions In both cortical and sub-cortical regions, the neural response associated with processing emotional faces is significantly modulated by 5HT manipulation resulting from ATD. Moreover, in certain areas, this effect of 5HT depends on the emotional valence of the stimulus.",

author = "Paolo Fusar-Poli and Paul Allen and Francis Lee and Simon Surguladze and Nigel Tunstall and Fu, {Cynthia H.Y.} and Brammer, {Michael J.} and Cleare, {Anthony J.} and Philip McGuire",

year = "2007",

doi = "10.1007/s00213-007-0757-4",

language = "English",

volume = "193",

pages = "31--44",

journal = "Psychopharmacology",

issn = "0033-3158",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "1",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Modulation of neural response to happy and sad faces by acute tryptophan depletion

AU - Fusar-Poli, Paolo

AU - Allen, Paul

AU - Lee, Francis

AU - Surguladze, Simon

AU - Tunstall, Nigel

AU - Fu, Cynthia H.Y.

AU - Brammer, Michael J.

AU - Cleare, Anthony J.

AU - McGuire, Philip

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - Background Central serotonin (5HT) plays a major role in emotional processing. We used functional neuroimaging (fMRI) to investigate the effects of experimental manipulation of central 5HT levels on the regional neural response to happy and sad facial expressions.Methods Ten healthy participants (eight men and two women) were scanned during an implicit emotional processing task after receiving a tryptophan-free (acute tryptophan depletion, ATD) or a balanced amino acid drink in a double-blind design.Results ATD lowered total plasma tryptophan concentration by 80%. There was no significant effect on subjective mood ratings, on response accuracy and on reaction times. Compared to sham depletion, ATD attenuated activation in the right medial/inferior frontal gyrus, the posterior cingulate cortex, the occipital and parietal cortex bilaterally, the right hippocampus, claustrum and insula. Conversely, ATD was associated with relatively increased activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus. ATD had differential effects on activation during the processing of happy and sad faces in the right putamen and in the left superior temporal gyrus.Conclusions In both cortical and sub-cortical regions, the neural response associated with processing emotional faces is significantly modulated by 5HT manipulation resulting from ATD. Moreover, in certain areas, this effect of 5HT depends on the emotional valence of the stimulus.

AB - Background Central serotonin (5HT) plays a major role in emotional processing. We used functional neuroimaging (fMRI) to investigate the effects of experimental manipulation of central 5HT levels on the regional neural response to happy and sad facial expressions.Methods Ten healthy participants (eight men and two women) were scanned during an implicit emotional processing task after receiving a tryptophan-free (acute tryptophan depletion, ATD) or a balanced amino acid drink in a double-blind design.Results ATD lowered total plasma tryptophan concentration by 80%. There was no significant effect on subjective mood ratings, on response accuracy and on reaction times. Compared to sham depletion, ATD attenuated activation in the right medial/inferior frontal gyrus, the posterior cingulate cortex, the occipital and parietal cortex bilaterally, the right hippocampus, claustrum and insula. Conversely, ATD was associated with relatively increased activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus. ATD had differential effects on activation during the processing of happy and sad faces in the right putamen and in the left superior temporal gyrus.Conclusions In both cortical and sub-cortical regions, the neural response associated with processing emotional faces is significantly modulated by 5HT manipulation resulting from ATD. Moreover, in certain areas, this effect of 5HT depends on the emotional valence of the stimulus.

U2 - 10.1007/s00213-007-0757-4

DO - 10.1007/s00213-007-0757-4

M3 - Article

SN - 0033-3158

VL - 193

SP - 31

EP - 44

JO - Psychopharmacology

JF - Psychopharmacology

IS - 1

ER -