EFFECT OF TRYPTOPHAN DEPLETION ON MOOD IN MALE AND FEMALE VOLUNTEERS - A PILOT-STUDY

We studied 12 healthy subjects, six males and six females, using the t echnique of tryptophan depletion in a double-blind placebo controlled crossover design. Subjects rated their subjective mood and also underw ent a mood induction procedure. The tryptophan free mixture significan tly lowered plasma total and free tryptophan at +5 h. After the trypto phan-free mixture, subjective ratings of mood fell in the females but not in the males. Whilst the mood induction procedure was effective at lowering mood, it did not have any greater effect on the day of trypt ophan depletion in either women or men. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.