Dopamine and light: dissecting effects on mood and motivational states in women with subsyndromal seasonal affective disorder

Cawley, Elizabeth I; Park, Sarah; Rot, Marije aan het; Sancton, Kimberley; Benkelfat, Chawki; Young, Simon N.; Boivin, Diane B.; Leyton, Marco

doi:10.1503/jpn.120181

Cited by 45 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…One possible explanation lies in the total absence of sunlight for several weeks during the winter. As previous research has shown that the detrimental effects of experimental tyrosine depletion on mood are larger in dim light than in bright light (Cawley et al, 2013), one could hypothesize that tyrosine supplementation can exert a larger effect on mood in the absence of sunlight than in its presence, i.e. during the summer.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…If positive effects were also observed over longer time periods, then this could enable organizations to improve employee performance in jobs that expose workers to frequent physical or mental stressors, such as extreme temperatures or high cognitive demands at work. Also, longitudinal studies could test the potential role of tyrosine in alleviating negative reactions to a lack of sunlight (Cawley et al, 2013). This might be particularly relevant to individuals diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder, who show a marked worsening of mood in the winter, presumably as a result of the shortening of days in the fall and the associated changes in the brain dopamine system (Depue et al, 1989).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In line with this, tyrosine depletion experiments, in which participants consume an amino acid mixture devoid of tyrosine and its precursor, phenylalanine, suggest that acute reductions in brain catecholamine levels lead people to behave in a less motivated way (McLean et al, 2004;Roiser et al, 2005;Cawley et al, 2013) or develop cognitive impairments (Harmer et al, 2001). Moreover, reduced brain catecholamine levels seem to make mood more vulnerable to the negative effects of low light exposure (Cawley et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

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Behavioral and cognitive effects of tyrosine intake in healthy human adults

Hase

Jung

Rot³

2015

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

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The amino acid tyrosine is the precursor to the catecholamine neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Increasing tyrosine uptake may positively influence catecholamine-related psychological functioning. We conducted a systematic review to examine the effects of tyrosine on behavior and cognition. Fifteen studies were reviewed. All studies except one involved tyrosine loading during a single test session. In most behavioral studies, there were no significant effects of tyrosine on exercise performance. In contrast, cognitive studies employing neuropsychological measures found that tyrosine loading acutely counteracts decrements in working memory and information processing that are induced by demanding situational conditions such as extreme weather or cognitive load. The buffering effects of tyrosine on cognition may be explained by tyrosine's ability to neutralize depleted brain catecholamine levels. There is evidence that tyrosine may benefit healthy individuals exposed to demanding situational conditions. For future research we recommend moving from studying the acute effects of a single tyrosine load in small samples to studying the behavioral and cognitive effects of tyrosine in larger groups over multiple weeks.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

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Behavioral and cognitive effects of tyrosine intake in healthy human adults

Hase

Jung

Rot³

2015

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

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“…Lowered dopamine transmission disrupts corticostriatal functional connectivity [62], top-down regulation by the cortex and the ability of reward related cues to activate the striatum [63-64]. These neurophysiological effects are associated with a decreased behavioral tendency to preferentially respond to rewards [65-67], and a decreased willingness to sustain effort to obtain rewards, including alcohol [68], tobacco [69] and money [70]. Elevated dopamine function, in comparison, increases the ability of reward related cues to guide behavioral choices [65], diminishes the ability to differentiate between high and low value rewards [71], and induces steeper temporal discounting, a form of impulsivity defined by preference for immediately available small rewards over larger, more distal ones [72].…”

Section: Increased Impulsive Reward-seeking and Dopamine Responsivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dopamine ups and downs in vulnerability to addictions: a neurodevelopmental model

Leyton

Vezina

2014

Trends in Pharmacological Sciences

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119

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Addictions are commonly presaged by problems in childhood and adolescence. For many individuals this starts with the early expression of impulsive risk-taking, social gregariousness and oppositional behaviors. We propose here that these early diverse manifestations reflect a heightened ability of emotionally salient stimuli to activate dopamine pathways that foster behavioral approach. If substance use is initiated, these at-risk youth can also develop heightened responses to drug-paired cues. Through conditioning and drug-induced sensitization, these effects strengthen and accumulate, leading to responses that exceed those elicited by other rewards. At the same time, cues not paired with drug become associated with comparatively lower dopamine release, accentuating further the difference between drug and non-drug rewards. Together, these enhancing and inhibiting processes steer a pre-existing vulnerability toward a disproportionate concern for drugs and drug-related stimuli. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.

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“…Regardless of light regime, the depletion of dopamine reduced the levels of selfreported energy and motivation. Levels of mood and agreeableness were affected by dopamine depletion in the dim condition but were unchanged under the bright regime [53]. The striatal density of dopamine transporters has been observed to be significantly reduced in SAD patients compared to normal controls [54].…”

Section: Vitamin D Dopamine and Serotoninmentioning

confidence: 92%