ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the biochemical properties of the enzyme are briefly reviewed, together with a discussion of the studies into the activity of platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) in psychiatric illnesses. In 1979, Yu and Boulton reported the presence in human plasma of a factor that could, in a noncompetitive manner, increase the activity of human platelet MAO. The human platelet has been the subject of much study with respect to psychiatric illnesses. Another biochemical parameter studied in the human platelet is the enzyme monoamine oxidase. Amine oxidizing activity is found in both human platelet and human plasma. MAO Activity has been demonstrated to exist as two catalytically distinguishable forms, which are generally termed MAO-A and MAO-B. MAO-A form of the enzyme is inhibited by very low concentrations of clorgyline, whereas the MAO-B form of the enzyme is not inhibited until micromolar concentrations of this inhibitor are used.
