Psychology Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Assessment | Biopsychology | Comparative | Cognitive | Developmental | Language | Individual differences | Personality | Philosophy | Social |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |

Biological: Behavioural genetics · Evolutionary psychology · Neuroanatomy · Neurochemistry · Neuroendocrinology · Neuroscience · Psychoneuroimmunology · Physiological Psychology · Psychopharmacology (Index, Outline)


Alpha methylparatyrosine chemical structure
Alpha methylparatyrosine

2-amino-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanoic acid
IUPAC name
CAS number
658-48-0
ATC code

[[ATC_code_|]][1]

PubChem
3125
DrugBank
[2]
Chemical formula {{{chemical_formula}}}
Molecular weight 195.215 g/mol
Bioavailability
Metabolism
Elimination half-life
Excretion
Pregnancy category
Legal status
Routes of administration

Alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT) is a tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme inhibitor. It has been used in the treatment of pheochromocytoma.[1] It has been demonstrated to inhibit the production of melanin.[2]

Side effects[]

AMPT administration leads to a transient exacerbation of depressive symptoms in patients that have responded to catecholaminergic antidepressants. The mood changes induced by AMPT may be mediated by decreases in norepinephrine, while changes in selective attention and motivation may be mediated by dopamine.

Prolonged administration can have an impact upon the circadian rhythm.[3]

Mechanism[]

As a competitive inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase, it prevents the conversion of tyrosine to L-DOPA, the precursor to dopamine. This results in lowered systematic catecholamine (dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine) levels.



See also[]

References & Bibliography[]

  1. Ankenman R, Salvatore MF (2007). Low dose alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine (AMPT) in the treatment of dystonia and dyskinesia. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 19 (1): 65–9.
  2. Use of α-methyl-p-tyrosine to inhibit melanin production in iris melanocytes
  3. Zimmermann RC, Krahn LE, Klee GG, Ditkoff EC, Ory SJ, Sauer MV (2001). Prolonged inhibition of presynaptic catecholamine synthesis with alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine attenuates the circadian rhythm of human TSH secretion. J. Soc. Gynecol. Investig. 8 (3): 174–8.

Key texts[]

Books[]

Papers[]

Additional material[]

Books[]

Papers[]

External links[]

This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).
Advertisement