Kynurenines in pathogenesis of endogenous psychiatric disorders

The essential amino acid tryptophan is metabolized on the methoxyindole pathway to serotonin, melatonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and on the kynurenine pathway to kynurenine and related neuroactive metabolites, including 3-hydroxykynurenine, kynurenic acid, quinolinic acid and xanthurenic acid. Kynurenine and related metabolites play a significant role in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. This paper is the review of literature data on the most modern state of this problem.