J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1990; 2:408-412
Copyright © 1990 by American Neuropsychiatric Association
Phenylethylamine metabolism in Tourette's syndrome
RA Bornstein, GB Baker, A Carroll, G King and S Ashton
Department of Psychiatry, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
Beta-phenylethylamine, phenylalanine, and phenylacetic acid were examined
in 24-hour urine samples and/or plasma samples obtained from 28
medication-free patients with Tourette's syndrome and 20 control subjects
matched for age and education. Statistical analyses revealed that Tourette
patients had lower plasma phenylalanine and urinary free
beta-phenylethylamine compared with the controls, but did not differ on
urinary total levels of phenylacetic acid. Fifty percent of the Tourette
patients had a urinary beta-phenylethylamine level that was lower than the
lowest control subject. In addition, urinary beta- phenylethylamine levels
were inversely related to several scores from the Tourette Syndrome Global
Scale. These data suggest that abnormalities in synthesis or metabolism of
beta-phenylethylamine may be involved in the etiology of some patients with
Tourette's syndrome.
