Diurnal variation of total plasma tryptophan in depressive patients

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Total plasma Trp was analyzed during a 24-h period in 27 control persons and 42 patients with a diagnosis of endogenous depression. Total plasma Trp was unchanged in endogenously depressed patients compared with controls. The effect of one night''s sleep reversal was studied in control persons. During the following day, when the persons were asleep, plasma Trp concentration fell below control values. The normal diurnal variation with low values in the night and high values in the daytime disappeared when the persons were kept fasting.