Posted by Steeler Tookahn on August 15, 2000, at 11:08:12
I've often thought how great it would be to be able to give some one a pill that could temporarily induce depression. It would be a much better way of explaining to those who want to know. This idea came from I study I participated in.
In the mid-eighties I took part in a study at a medical university where researchers tried to lower the levels of serotonin in the body of the participants by feeding them a diet devoid of tryptophan. After 3 days the participant would drink a horrible concoction filled with high levels of all amino acids except tryptophan. The patient then lay in bed and relayed how they were doing. Almost all of us went through a terrible depressive episode. After several hours the participant is given tryptophan intravenously and, without fail, we all returned to baseline (some with temporary hypomania). The medical students at this facility had to undergo the experiment also, as they were the control subjects (no history of clinical depression). I became friendly with most of the students and they all told me that they didn't experience anything unpleasant (except, perhaps some initial nausea from the drink [it was truly noxious]). One day a medical student that I had come to know well named "Harold" (I think med students should have the same anonymity as the patients) took me aside and told me how after he took the drink he became severely depressed and suicidal (you're being watched the whole time, you're never in danger) and came out of it once the tryptophan was administered. This was 2 days later and he was still pretty shaken. I'll never forget how he looked me in the eye and asked "Steeler, is this what you people go through all the time?" Harold said the experience made him seriously consider Psychiatry as his specialty.
I lost touch with Harold, so I never did find out what branch he went into.If you would like more details on the study (although I can't imagine one would):
1. Delgado PL, Price LH, Miller HL, et al: Serotonin and the neurobiology of depression: Effects of tryptophan depletion in drug-free depressed patients. Arch Gen Psychiatry 51:865-874, 1994.
2. Delgado PL, Charney DS, Price JH, et al: Serotonin function and the mechanism of antidepressant action: Reversal of antidepressant induced remission by rapid depletion of plasma tryptophan. Arch Gen Psychiatry 47:411-418, 1990.
poster:Steeler Tookahn
thread:42969
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000811/msgs/42969.html