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Dietary tyrosine/phenylalanine depletion effects on behavioral and brain signatures of human motivational processing.

ABSTRACT: Dopamine (DA) neurotransmission is critical for motivational processing. We assessed whether disruption of DA synthesis in healthy controls using an amino-acid beverage devoid of catecholamine precursors (tyrosine-phenylalanine depletion (TPD)) would blunt recruitment of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) by rewards. Sixteen controls ingested each of a tyr/phe-depleting beverage (DEP) or a tyr/phe-balanced (BAL) control beverage in two laboratory visits. Five hours after consumption of each drink, subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while they viewed anticipatory cues to respond to a target to either win money or avoid losing money. TPD did not exert main effects on mood or on task behavior, but affected brain activation. In right NAcc, TPD blunted activation by anticipation of high rewards. In left NAcc, recruitment anticipating high rewards was modulated by individual differences in mood change across the DEP drink day, where subjects whose mood worsened following TPD (relative to within-day mood change under BAL conditions) also showed lower activation under DEP conditions relative to BAL conditions. Exploratory analysis indicated that TPD qualitatively blunted the voxel-wise spatial extent of suprathreshold activation by reward anticipation. Finally, loss outcomes activated anterior insula under DEP conditions but not under BAL conditions. These data indicate that: (1) dietary depletion of catacholamine precursors will blunt dopaminergic mesolimbic activity, and (2) in controls, synthetic pathways of this neurocircuitry maintain sufficient buffering capacity to resist an effect on motivated behavior. Additional studies are needed to determine if clinical populations would show similar resistance to behavioral effects of TPD.

SUBMITTER: Bjork JM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3895237 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Dietary tyrosine/phenylalanine depletion effects on behavioral and brain signatures of human motivational processing.

Bjork James M JM Grant Steven J SJ Chen Gang G Hommer Daniel W DW

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology 20130902 3

Dopamine (DA) neurotransmission is critical for motivational processing. We assessed whether disruption of DA synthesis in healthy controls using an amino-acid beverage devoid of catecholamine precursors (tyrosine-phenylalanine depletion (TPD)) would blunt recruitment of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) by rewards. Sixteen controls ingested each of a tyr/phe-depleting beverage (DEP) or a tyr/phe-balanced (BAL) control beverage in two laboratory visits. Five hours after consumption of each drink, sub ...[more]

PMID: 23995581

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Project description:Alkaptonuria (AKU) is caused by homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase deficiency that leads to homogentisic acid (HGA) accumulation, ochronosis and severe osteoarthropathy. Recently, nitisinone treatment, which blocks HGA formation, has been effective in AKU patients. However, a consequence of nitisinone is elevated tyrosine that can cause keratopathy. The effect of tyrosine and phenylalanine dietary restriction was investigated in nitisinone-treated AKU mice, and in an observational study of dietary intervention in AKU patients. Nitisinone-treated AKU mice were fed tyrosine/phenylalanine-free and phenylalanine-free diets with phenylalanine supplementation in drinking water. Tyrosine metabolites were measured pre-nitisinone, post-nitisinone, and after dietary restriction. Subsequently an observational study was undertaken in 10 patients attending the National Alkaptonuria Centre (NAC), with tyrosine >700??mol/L who had been advised to restrict dietary protein intake and where necessary, to use tyrosine/phenylalanine-free amino acid supplements. Elevated tyrosine (813??mol/L) was significantly reduced in nitisinone-treated AKU mice fed a tyrosine/phenylalanine-free diet in a dose responsive manner. At 3?days of restriction, tyrosine was 389.3, 274.8, and 144.3 ?mol/L with decreasing phenylalanine doses. In contrast, tyrosine was not effectively reduced in mice by a phenylalanine-free diet; at 3?days tyrosine was 757.3, 530.2, and 656.2 ?mol/L, with no dose response to phenylalanine supplementation. In NAC patients, tyrosine was significantly reduced (P =?.002) when restricting dietary protein alone, and when combined with tyrosine/phenylalanine-free amino acid supplementation; 4 out of 10 patients achieved tyrosine <700??mol/L. Tyrosine/phenylalanine dietary restriction significantly reduced nitisinone-induced tyrosinemia in mice, with phenylalanine restriction alone proving ineffective. Similarly, protein restriction significantly reduced circulating tyrosine in AKU patients.

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Dietary tyrosine/phenylalanine depletion effects on behavioral and brain signatures of human motivational processing.

Publications

Dietary tyrosine/phenylalanine depletion effects on behavioral and brain signatures of human motivational processing.

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