ACTIVITY AND POLYMORPHISM OF MONOAMINE OXIDASE-B GENE IN IDIOPATHIC PARKINSONS-DISEASE

Genetic variations in monoamine oxidase-B activity has been proposed a s a significant factor in the development of various psychiatric and n eurological diseases including idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). A polymorphic (GT)(n) repeat sequence exist in MAO-B intron 2. An initi al study did not reveal any association between this MAO-B allele and activity state in a group of healthy male volunteers. We have found th at the size of the (GT)(n) repeat in MAO-B intron 2 ranged from 19 to 30 repeats using DNA sequencing methods. We also compared the size of this repeat sequence with enzyme activity, using benzylamine as substr ate, in newly diagnosed male Parkinsonian patients and normal and dise ase control males. We have found no significant difference in the size distributions of the (GT)(n) repeat units in the three groups. No ass ociation was found between the number of (GT)(n) repeat units and the level of platelet MAO-B activity.