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Platelet monoamine oxidase molecular activity in demented patients

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Abstract

Blood platelet monoamine oxidase activity, as well as other platelet enzyme activities, have been studied in several neuropsychiatric disorders in an attempt to identify biochemical markers of altered brain function. In this study, we determined both total and molecular monoamine oxidase activity in platelets derived from demented patients, which showed significantly greater enzyme activity than those of the controls. It therefore seems that the high degree of monoamine oxidase activity depends on the increased intrinsic activity of individual enzyme molecules. A significant positive correlation was found between monoamine oxidase activity and the severity of illness, which suggests that monoamine oxidase activity may be a state-dependent marker of neurodegeneration. These findings are discussed with reference to the central nervous system biochemical abnormalities of demented subjects: it may be that Alzheimer-type dementia involves some central biochemical changes that are reflected in certain peripheral tissues (e.g. platelets), or a systemic derangement that also affects the brain.

Sommario

L'attività monoamino-ossidasica (MAO) piastrinica, come pure altre attività enzimatiche trombocitarie, sono state studiate in varie patologie neuropsichiatriche, allo scopo di identificare indici biochimici di un alterato funzionamento cerebrale. In questo lavoro abbiamo determinato l'attività MAO totale e quella molecolare in piastrine di pazienti affetti da demenza tipo Alzheimer, riscontrandone un aumento significativo rispetto ai controlli. Sembra, pertanto, che elevati livelli di attività MAO dipendano da un incremento dell'attività intrinseca delle singole molecole di enzima. Abbiamo osservato vieppiù una correlazione significativa tra attività MAO e gravità di malattia: l'attività MAO quindi può considerarsi, relativamente ad eventi neurodegenerativi, un indice di stato. Questi risultati vengono discussi in riferimento alle alterazioni biochimiche del sistema nervoso centrale occorrenti in pazienti con demenza tipo Alzheimer: può verificarsi che in questa condizione morbosa talune modificazioni biochimiche centrali si riflettano a livello periferico (ad es. nelle piastrine), oppure che alterazioni sistemiche si associno ad un interessamento cerebrale.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Neurologia, Università di Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy

    Bongioanni P., Gemignani F., Boccardi B., Borgna M. & Rossi B.

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  1. Bongioanni P.
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  2. Gemignani F.
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  3. Boccardi B.
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  4. Borgna M.
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  5. Rossi B.
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Bongioanni, P., Gemignani, F., Boccardi, B. et al. Platelet monoamine oxidase molecular activity in demented patients. Ital J Neuro Sci 18, 151–156 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02048483

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02048483

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