Effects on the diet on brain neurotransmitters

Abstract

The synthesis of neurotransmitters in mammalian brain responds rapidly to changes in precursor availability. Serotonin synthesis depends largely on the brain concentrations of L-tryptophan, its precursor amino aicd. This relationship appears to be physiologic: when brain tryptophan levels vary because of insulin secretion or meal ingestion, corresponding alterations occur in the rate of serotonin formation. The ability of any food to modify brain tryptophan (and serotonin) depends on how its ingestion changes the serum concentration of not only tryptophan, but also several other large neutral amino acids that compete with tryptophan for uptake into the brain. Such precursor-induced changes in brain serotonin appear to be functionally important: animals having a reduced level of brain serotonin (caused by the chronic ingestion of a naturally tryptophan-poor diet, such as corn) demonstrate a heightened sensitivity to painful stimuli; this pain sensitivity can be acutely restored to normal values by a single injection of L-tryptophan, which rapidly elevates brain serotonin. The synthesis of catecholamines (e.g., dopamine, norepinephrine) in the brain also varies with the availability of the precursor amino acid L-tyrosine. Single injections of this amino acid increase brain tyrosine levels and accelerate brain catechol synthesis, while injections of a competing neutral amino acid (e.g., leucine, tryptophan) reduce brain tyrosine and its rate of conversion to dopa. The rate of catecholamine synthesis, however, appears to be influenced less by precursor levels than is serotonin formation: tyrosine hydroxylase, whcih catalyzes the rate-limiting step in catecholamine synthesis, responds strongly to end-product inhibition and to other controls that reflect variations in neuronal activity. The synthesis of acetylcholine in brain responds to substrate (choline) availability much like serotonin synthesis. Short-term alterations in brain choline levels are mirrored by similar changes in brain acetylcholine concentration. Variations in the daily dietary intake of choline also modify brain choline and acetylcholine. The relationship between choline availability and acetylchyoline synthesis has already foudn a cletween choline availability and acetylchyoline synthesis has already found a clinical application: choline has been used successfully in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia, a disorder of the central nervous system thought to reflect a deficiency in cholinergic transmission. These relationships between precursor availability from the periphery and brain neurotransmitter synthesis may ultimately provide the brain with information about peripheral metabolic state.