Abstract
Abstract— Tryptophan, 5‐hydroxytryptamine and 5‐hydroindoleacetic acid were found to be greatly increased in various parts of the brains of rats in acute hepatic failure following two stage hepatic devascularization. However, the increases in 5‐hydroxytryptamine and 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid varied by region and are not explicable solely in terms of increased concentrations of tryptophan. The results are discussed in terms of differences in the regional metabolism of 5‐hydroxyindoleamines. Plasma free fatty acids, albumin, total tryptophan and free tryptophan were measured in plasma in hopes of elucidating the mechanism responsible for the cerebral elevation of tryptophan. Increased plasma free tryptophan appears sufficient to explain the rapid increase in brain tryptophan. The relationship between these results and recent observations in hepatic encephalopathy is discussed.
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