Thiamine Deficiency Increases Serotonin Synthesis, Inhibits Uptake

allblues

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I recently had a great experience with thiamine with regards to mental energy, and got curious as to why and how.
Found some cool studies on the thiamine-serotonin connection;

Thiamine deficiency: selective impairment of the cerebellar serotonergic system. - PubMed - NCBI
To explore the role of thiamine deficiency in synaptic transmission, the high-affinity uptake and release systems for putative neurotransmitters were studied in synaptosomal preparations isolated from the telencephalon, hypothalamus, and cerebellum of rats made thiamine deficient by diet or pyrithiamine. There was significant decrease in the uptake of serotonin by the synaptosomal preparations of the cerebellum. Although thiamine and its phosphorylated forms added in vitro did not restore the decreased serotonin uptake, the administration of the vitamin in vivo resulted in a significant reversibility of the inhibition of serotonin uptake, coinciding with dramatic clinical improvement. The study supports the possibility of an important serotonergic innervation of the cerebellum and suggests a selective involvement of this system in the pathogenesis of some of the neurologic manifestations of thiamine deficiency.

According to this source, referring to the above paper, a 50% decrease in 5HT uptake was seen in the cerebellum.
Goes on to say more interesting things about serotonin uptake and symptoms;
Thiamine Deficiency and Associated Clinical Disorders
Thiamine deficiency in rats produces seizures in some studies, and hypothermia in all studies. These two symptoms alone are associated with decreased serotonin uptake. Serotonin uptake is energy dependent...

In this study, thiamine deficiency caused increased serotonin synthesis, decreased clearance. The cerebral cortex alone was hit hard with a 58% increase of 5HT in thiamine deficient rats, making me think of schizophrenics, "hypofrontality", hypometabolic frontal lobes and as Ray has said, thiamine being a possible route for treating schizophrenia. Effect of thiamine deficiency on brain serotonin turnover. - PubMed - NCBI
These results suggest that acute thiamine deficiency, induced by PT, both increases brain 5-HT synthesis and impairs 5-HIAA efflux from the brain. There is a close correlation between neurological manifestations and changes in brain 5-HT metabolism in acute thiamine deficiency.

Some more stuff; Alterations in serotonin parameters in brain of thiamine-deficient rats are evident prior to the appearance of neurological symptoms. - PubMed - NCBI
Biochemical alterations of serotoninergic parameters have been demonstrated in experimental thiamine deficiency. In addition, hypophagia (reduced food intake) and hypothermia, two physiological processes associated with changes in the serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] system, are manifest early during the progression of thiamine deficiency.

They further tested some 5HT receptor ligands, and found increased binding of ketanserin, the 5HT2-ligand.
These binding changes, which appear to represent changes in the density of the postsynaptic 5-HT2A receptor population rather than the "tetrabenazine-sensitive" vesicular monoamine transporter, are evident before the appearance of histopathologic lesions and coincide with altered tissue concentrations of 5-HT. These data suggest that 5-HT neurons, although structurally intact, are functionally affected early during the progression of thiamine deficiency. These alterations, which are likely a part of adaptive neuronal change consequent to thiamine dysfunction, may be important in the physiological manifestations and the learning deficits commonly encountered in experimental thiamine deficiency.

I found this stuff interesting, there's more links on serotonin & thiamine in references here,
Uptake and Metabolism of Serotonin and Amino Acids in Thiamine Deficiency - Springer

And if you find yourself bogged down in all the material, just reach for that thiamine package...
 
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allblues

allblues

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Oct 30, 2015
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I've tried all from pinches, 10-20 mgs, up to large 500 mg doses.

Recently about 100 mg was what gave me this sensation of increased mental fluidity, alertness which I haven't gotten the previous times I've dabbled with thiamine, which was a few months ago. Anything between 10-100 mg seems fine, higher doses have sometimes made me feel strange.
 

Kingpinguin

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This makes me think why sulbuthiamine is promoted as an antifatigue agent. Since it’s fat soulable compared to water soulable thiamine its much more effective passing the blood brain barrier boosting thiamine levels. Thus increasing serotonin uptake resulting in lower better serotonin level.
 

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