Influence of hemodialysis on monoamine oxidase kinetics in platelets from chronic schizophrenic patients

Low platelet monoamine oxidase activity in borderline personality disorder

Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was significantly lower in nonpsychotic, nonorganic, unmedicated male inpatients with DSM-III-R borderline personality disorder (BPD) than in nonpsychiatric controls. Patients with BPD who also met DSM-III-R criteria for antisocial personality disorder had significantly lower MAO activity than those with BPD alone. Low MAO activity in this sample did not appear to be related to the comorbid presence of major depressive disorder or a history of substance abuse.

Platelet MAO activity and psychosis proneness in college students

A population of individuals potentially at risk for psychiatric disorders was identified by screening 633 college students using the Wisconsin Scales for psychosis proneness. Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was measured in high-scoring individuals and controls using 14C-benzylamine. Males with deviant scores on the Perceptual Aberration-Magical Ideation Scale showed a bimodal distribution of platelet MAO activity. Kinetic analysis of platelets from probands with the highest and lowest levels of MAO activity in this group revealed differences in Vmax but not in Km. Since abnormal platelet MAO activity has been linked to psychiatric vulnerability, the results provide further support for the validity of the Wisconsin Scales as predictors of psychopathology.