PLATELET MONOAMINE-OXIDASE (MAO) ACTIVITY AND ALCOHOLISM - IS THERE AGENUINE ASSOCIATION

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is a particle-bound flavoenzyme principally lo cated in the outer mitochondrial membrane, which catalyzes the oxidati ve deamination of a variety of the amine transmitters in the central n ervous system. There have been many reports from different groups arou nd the world over the last 20 years that indicated a lower platelet MA O activity was associated with alcoholism. As there are multiple influ ences upon measured MAO activity, this article attempts to address eac h of the issues in rum for potential confounding of the reported assoc iation. These issues include: the duration of abstinence from alcohol, the substrate used for analysis, gender issues, association with diff erent subtypes of alcoholics, the influence of other psychopathology, personality traits of alcoholics, the question of smoking, and propose d modes of transmission of MAO activity. The initial promise about MAO activity being a possible marker for alcoholism or a least a genetica lly predisposed subgroup has receded as the number of negative typolog y-based studies increases. The failure to account for a major confound ing variable, e.g. smoking and other minor bur possibly vital confound ; in almost all these studies leaves the whole hypothesis open to crit icism. However, the possible association between personality traits th at might predispose to some if not all substances of addiction to low MAO activity may make it possible to reframe the hypothesized associat ion in the setting of a generalized predisposition to addictions in pa rticular, and to psychopathology in general. Nonetheless the associati on remains of great interest and may yet yield vital genetic and clini cal information.