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

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Summary

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity has been measured in the platelets of controls (n=42) and schizophrenic patients (n=49) of three subtypes, using β-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.

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  1. Nikolaus Seiler

    Present address: Centre de Recherche Merrell International, 16, rue d'Ankara, F-67084, Strasbourg, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum der Psychiatrie, Klinikum der J. W. Goethe-Universität, Heinrich-Hoffmann-Str. 10, D-6000, Frankfurt, Germany

    Lothar Demisch, Horst von der Mühlen & Hans Joachim Bochnik

  2. Max-Planck-Institut fur Hirnforschung, Arbeitsgruppe Neurochemie, Deutschordenstr. 46, D-6000, Frankfurt, Germany

    Nikolaus Seiler

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Demisch, L., von der Mühlen, H., Bochnik, H.J. et al. Substrate-typic changes of platelet monoamine oxidase activity in sub-types of schizophrenia. Arch. Psychiat. Nervenkr. 224, 319–329 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00341614

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