Healthy
Conditions
Keywords
acute tryptophan depletion, tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene, emotion
Brief summary
The study aims to explore whether acute tryptophan depletion can affect the emotion and interference processing whether this effect is moderated by the TPH2 genotype
Detailed description
Based on previous studies suggesting that serotonin, a neurotransmitter, is associated with social & emotional behavior, including emotional reactivity and emotion regulation, the present study aims to explore effects of acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) on emotion processing and emotional interference processing within a randomized double-blind, with-subject, placebo-controlled pharmaco-fMRI experiment. To further examine the potential moderating effects of the genetic makeup of the serotonin system the present study will include a pharmacogenetics imaging approach. Given that TPH2 is the key regulator of the serotonergic signaling pathway, we therefore assessed whether such the effects of tryptophan depletion vary according to the TPH2 genotype. To this end, healthy male TPH2-GG or TPH2-TT carriers will be recruited and will receive ATD (100g) and placebo (102.3g) in a within subject design. To control for potential effects of pre-medication personality traits as well as effects of medicines on mood, subjects will be administered pre-treatment assessing relevant personality traits and post-treatment assessments of mood.
Interventions
DRUGATD treatment
oral administration of ATD (100g)(Acute Tryptophan Depletion)
DRUGplacebo treatment
oral administration of placebo (102.3g)
Sponsors
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders * Right-handedness
Exclusion criteria
* History of head injury; * Medical or psychiatric illness. * High blood pressure, general cardio-vascular alterations * History of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction. * Allergy against medications or general strong allergies * Sleep disorders. * Visual or motor impairments
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Neural processing during emotion processing as assessed via fMRI | 5-6h after administration of ATD, or placebo | Subjects will undergo a validated emotional face paradigm. To assess genotype x ATD interaction effects on neural emotional reactivity effects of ATD depletion on the corresponding neural activity will be compared between the TPH2 genotype groups. |
| Neural processing during interference processing as assessed via fMRI | 5-6h after administration of ATD, or placebo | Subjects will undergo a validated cognitive-emotional interference paradigm. To assess genotype x ATD interaction effects on neural interference control effects of ATD depletion on the corresponding neural activity will be compared between the TPH2 genotype groups. |
| Neural processing during the resting state as assessed via fMRI | 5-6h after administration of ATD, or placebo | Subjects will undergo a validated resting state assessment. To assess genotype x ATD interaction effects on intrinsic brain activity in the emotion and interreference related neural networks effects of ATD depletion on the corresponding neural activity will be compared between the TPH2 genotype groups. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Behavioral interference performance | 5-6h after administration of ATD, or placebo | Subjects will undergo a emotion-cognition interference paradigm. To assess genotype x ATD interaction effects on behavioral indices of interference (congruent vs incongruent trials) behavioral performance (accuracy/reaction time) effects of ATD depletion on the corresponding behavioral indices will be compared between the TPH2 genotype groups. |
Countries
China
Contacts
Primary ContactBenjamin Becker, Dr.
Outcome results
None listed