Burgund, E. D., Marsolek, C. J., & Luciana, M.
Repetition priming in a word-stem completion task was examined in a group of control subjects and a group of experimental subjects under conditions of acute tryptophan depletion (T-) and tryptophan augmentation (T+). Experimental subjects ingested amino acid compounds designed to deplete or load the body with tryptophan in a double blind, repeated-measures crossover design, and word-stem completion priming performance was measured under each condition. Results indicate differential effects of T- and T+ manipulations on word-stem completion priming. In the control group, both specific-visual and amodal priming were observed. Conversely, in the T+ condition, specific-visual priming, but no amodal priming, was observed, whereas in the T- condition, amodal priming, but no specific-visual priming, was observed. We conclude that serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) plays a critical role in repetition priming by helping to modulate which neural systems contribute to priming effects.
Burgund, E. D., Marsolek, C. J., & Luciana, M. (2003). Serotonin levels influence patterns of repetition priming. Neuropsychology, 17, 161-170.