Tessa O C Kilkens

Publications (3)10.78 Total impact

• Source

  Available from: Anke Sambeth

  Article: Sex differences in the effect of acute tryptophan depletion on declarative episodic memory: a pooled analysis of nine studies.

  Anke Sambeth, Arjan Blokland, Catherine J Harmer, Tessa O C Kilkens, Pradeep J Nathan, Richard J Porter, Jeroen A J Schmitt, Bart Scholtissen, Sjacko Sobczak, Allan H Young, Wim J Riedel
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  ABSTRACT: Acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) studies have shown that serotonin plays a role in learning and memory processes. In this study, we performed a pooled analysis of nine ATD studies in order to examine the nature of the memory-impairing effects of ATD and mediating factors, such as gender, age and vulnerability for disease in which disturbed serotonin was hypothesized to play a role. All studies that were used in this pooled analysis assessed declarative episodic memory using a verbal learning task paradigm. Immediate recall, delayed recall, and delayed recognition scores were examined. A total of 211 participants were included in the analysis. The analysis revealed that ATD impaired not only delayed recall, but also immediate recall. The ATD-induced impairments were larger in females than in males. Furthermore, ATD did not interact with any other serotonergic vulnerability and age. This suggests that the only factor that actually has the properties of a serotonergic vulnerability factor for declarative memory performance is female gender. The findings provide further support for a critical role of serotonin in declarative episodic memory.
  Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 02/2007; 31(4):516-29. · 8.65 Impact Factor
• Article: Fatty acid profile and affective dysregulation in irritable bowel syndrome.

  Tessa O C Kilkens, Adriaan Honig, Michael Maes, Richel Lousberg, Robert-Jan M Brummer
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  ABSTRACT: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder with a high co-occurrence with affective dysregulation. Affective disorders have been associated with specific changes in the PUFA and cholesterol profile. In IBS, similar changes may be present as have been reported in patients with affective disorders. This exploratory study investigates (i) the level of affective dysregulation (AD) in IBS patients and healthy controls; (ii) PUFA and cholesterol profiles in IBS patients compared with controls; and (iii) associations between PUFA and cholesterol parameters with the level of AD. Blood samples were obtained for determination of the FA composition of plasma phospholipids and serum cholesterol in 23 diarrhea-predominant IBS patients and 23 healthy matched controls. AD was scored using the Symptom Check List depression scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. The level of AD was higher in IBS patients compared with controls. PUFA and cholesterol profiles did not differ significantly between groups. Total n-3 PUFA and cholesterol were significantly negatively associated and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFA and the ratio of arachidonic acid to EPA were significantly positively associated with the level of AD. The findings of the present study reveal that AD was higher in IBS patients compared with healthy controls and that changes in PUFA and cholesterol profiles were significantly associated with the level of AD. These results warrant further studies regarding the role of PUFA and cholesterol status in the co-occurrence of AD and functional gastrointestinal disorders.
  Lipids 06/2004; 39(5):425-31. · 2.13 Impact Factor
• Article: Sex differences in the effect of acute tryptophan depletion on declarative episodic memory: A pooled analysis of nine studies

  Anke Sambeth, Arjan Blokland, Catherine J. Harmer, Tessa O.C. Kilkens, Pradeep J. Nathan, Richard J. Porter, Jeroen A.J. Schmitt, Bart Scholtissen, Sjacko Sobczak, Allan H. Young, Wim J. Riedel
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: Acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) studies have shown that serotonin plays a role in learning and memory processes. In this study, we performed a pooled analysis of nine ATD studies in order to examine the nature of the memory-impairing effects of ATD and mediating factors, such as gender, age and vulnerability for disease in which disturbed serotonin was hypothesized to play a role. All studies that were used in this pooled analysis assessed declarative episodic memory using a verbal learning task paradigm. Immediate recall, delayed recall, and delayed recognition scores were examined. A total of 211 participants were included in the analysis. The analysis revealed that ATD impaired not only delayed recall, but also immediate recall. The ATD-induced impairments were larger in females than in males. Furthermore, ATD did not interact with any other serotonergic vulnerability and age. This suggests that the only factor that actually has the properties of a serotonergic vulnerability factor for declarative memory performance is female gender. The findings provide further support for a critical role of serotonin in declarative episodic memory.
  Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.