Attenuation of some subjective effects
of amphetamine following tyrosine depletion
by
McTavish SF, McPherson MH, Sharp T, Cowen PJ
University Department of Psychiatry,
Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
sarah.mctavish@psyc.ox.ac.uk
J Psychopharmacol 1999; 13(2): 144-7

ABSTRACT

Fifteen healthy volunteers received d-amphetamine (20 mg orally) 2 h after ingesting either a nutritionally balanced amino acid mixture or one lacking the catecholamine precursors, tyrosine and phenylalanine (TYR-free). Plasma tyrosine levels were significantly lowered in subjects who received the TYR-free mixture but mean plasma amphetamine levels were higher. Despite this, the TYR-free mixture appeared to decrease the subjective psychostimulant effects of amphetamine, as determined by visual analogue scales. In contrast, the TYR-free mixture failed to lower the subjective anorectic effect of amphetamine. These findings are consistent with animal experimental studies indicating that tyrosine depletion attenuates the release of dopamine produced by amphetamine but not the release of noradrenaline.

Tyrosine
Dopamine
Noradrenaline
Amphetamines
Tyrosine hydroxylase
Noradrenaline and mood
Catecholamine depletion
The monoamine hypothesis

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