Tryptophan degradation is associated with risk-taking propensity in methamphetamine users with treated HIV infection.

Abstract

Few studies have examined neuroimmune pathways that could contribute to impulsivity in people living with HIV who use substances. Eighty-four methamphetamine-using, sexual minority men with an undetectable HIV viral load were administered the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), a behavioral measure of risk-taking propensity. We examined the associations between kynurenine/tryptophan ratio and phenylalanine/tyrosine ratio with BART scores using multiple linear regression. A higher kynurenine/tryptophan ratio was independently associated with greater BART scores (beta = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.05-1.23; p = 0.034). The phenylalanine/tyrosine ratio was not significantly associated with BART scores. Findings support the need for further research to elucidate the neuroimmune mechanisms linking tryptophan degradation with impulsivity to catalyze the development novel pharmacologic treatments for people living with HIV who use methamphetamine.

• Authors: Jared Lee, Ji-Young Lee, Christina S Meade, Michael Cohn, Antonio Chahine, Samantha E Dilworth, Jessica F Magidson, Hetta Gouse, Dietmar Fuchs, Adam W Carrico
• Journal: Journal of neurovirology (J Neurovirol) Vol. 26 Issue 5 Pg. 779-784 (10 2020) ISSN: 1538-2443 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32728896 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Anti-HIV Agents
• Kynurenine
• Tyrosine
• Methamphetamine
• Phenylalanine
• Tryptophan

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-HIV Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
• Biotransformation
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• HIV Infections (blood, drug therapy, psychology, virology)
• Homosexuality, Male
• Humans
• Impulsive Behavior
• Kynurenine (blood)
• Male
• Methamphetamine (administration & dosage, metabolism)
• Middle Aged
• Phenylalanine (blood)
• Psychological Tests
• Risk-Taking
• Substance-Related Disorders (blood, psychology, virology)
• Tryptophan (blood)
• Tyrosine (blood)
• Viral Load