Dietary Folate and Biogenic Amines in the CNS |
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Authors: | Ian J. Butler Sheldon P. Rothenberg |
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Affiliation: | Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.;Department of Medicine, Brooklyn Veterans Administration and SUNY-Downstate Medical Centers. Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | Abnormal biogenic amine biosynthesis has been observed in humans and animals with endogenous and exogenous disturbances in folate metabolism. In an attempt to study this interaction biochemically, rats were depleted or repleted with folate for 10 weeks. Folate levels in depleted animals in serum and CSF correlated with stores in liver and brain, respectively. In depleted or repleted animals, there was no significant effect on biogenic amine metabolism in the CNS, as determined by quantitation of biogenic amines in brain and their respective metabolites in brain and CSF. These results are contrary to studies by other investigators. We suspect, however, that specific genetic defects in folate metabolism do result in impaired biogenic amine metabolism and probably at the level of disturbed biopterin cofactor functions. |
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Keywords: | Folic acid Biogenic amines Liver Brain CSF |
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