Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on the sleep of normal human subjectsEffets du 5-hydroxytryptophane sur le sommeil de sujets normaux

https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4694(71)90147-7Get rights and content

Abstract

The effects on sleep of increasing brain serotonin with 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the immediate precursor of serotonin, were studied on twelve normal subjects. In each subject, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep increased from 5 to 53% of placebo baseline. The total rapid eye movement activity also increased. Non-REM sleep decreased slightly, apparently compensating for the increased amount of REM sleep. The apparent serotonin-REM sleep association is discussed in light of recent animal experiments in which total insomnia was produced by decreasing brain serotonin concentration with parachlorophenylalanine.

Résumé

Les effects sur le sommeil de l'augmentation de la sérotonine cérébrale au moyen du 5-hydroxytryptophane (5-HTP), précurseur immédiat de la sérotonine, ont été t́udiés chez douze sujets normaux. Chez chaque sujet les mouvements oculaires rapides (MOR) du sommeil augmentent de 5 à 53% de leur valeur sous placebo. L'activité totale de MOR augmente également. Le sommeil sans MOR diminue légèrement, compensant apparemment l'augmentation du taux de sommeil avec MOR. L'association apparente sérotonine-sommeil avec MOR est discutée à la lumière d'expérimentations animales récentes dans lesquelles une insommie totale a été provoquée par la diminution de la concentration de sérotonine cérébrale au moyen de parachlorophenylalanine.

References (22)

  • M.P. Mandell et al.

    Biochemical and neurophysiological studies of paradoxical sleep

    Recent Adv. Biol. Psychiat.

    (1965)
  • Cited by (57)

    • The neurobiological basis of sleep: Insights from Drosophila

      2018, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
      Citation Excerpt :

      However, pharmacological manipulations of serotonergic signaling have demonstrated effects on sleep and wake in similar ways that have been seen in Drosophila. For example, injecting p-chlorophenylalanine – an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis – into the dorsal raphe nucleus acutely induces insomnia in rats (Gao et al., 2002) and early experiments in humans found that administration of the serotonin precursor 5-HTP increases REM sleep duration, though total sleep is not affected (Wyatt et al., 1971). Additionally, some antidepressant serotonin reuptake and serotonin receptor subtype inhibitors have been linked to improvements in subjective and objective sleep quality in depressed and non-depressed patients (Reviewed in Wilson and Argyropoulos, 2005).

    • Alternative Therapeutics for Sleep Disorders

      2012, Therapy in Sleep Medicine
    • Safety of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan

      2004, Toxicology Letters
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    1

    Present address: National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, Room 3N222, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Md. 20014, U.S.A.

    2

    Present address: Standord University Medical School, Palo Alto, Calif. 94304, U.S.A.

    3

    Present address: National Heart Institute, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Md. 20014, U.S.A.

    View full text