Substrate-typic changes of platelet monoamine oxidase activity in sub-types of schizophrenia.

Abstract

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity has been measured in the platelets of controls (n = 42) and schizophrenic patients (n = 49) of three subtypes, using beta-phenylethylamine, p-tyramine, and tryptamine as substrates. Characteristic differences of MAO activity were observed between platelets of patients and controls; the differences were substrate-typic: decreased enzyme activity was found with all three substrates in platelets of the parnaoid subtype. With tryptamine, MAO activity was decreased in the platelets of all three sub-types of schizophrenia. With p-tyramine, MAO was low in patients with affective psychoses and paranoid schizophrenia. The value of MAO activity measurements as a means for distinguishing sub-types of schizophrenic disorders is improved by using two substrates; tryptamine and p-tyramine. Possible mechanisms of the substrate-typic changes of platelet MAO activity in schizophrenia are discussed.

• Authors: L Demisch, H von der Mühlen, H J Bochnik, N Seiler
• Journal: Archiv fur Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten (Arch Psychiatr Nervenkr (1970)) Vol. 224 Issue 4 Pg. 319-29 (Dec 28 1977) Germany
• PMID: 606205 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Phenethylamines
• Tryptamines
• Monoamine Oxidase
• Tyramine

Topics

• Adult
• Bipolar Disorder (enzymology)
• Blood Platelets (enzymology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Monoamine Oxidase (blood)
• Phenethylamines
• Schizoid Personality Disorder (enzymology)
• Schizophrenia (enzymology)
• Schizophrenia, Paranoid (enzymology)
• Tryptamines
• Tyramine