The role of monoamine oxidase enzymes in the pathophysiology of neurological disorders

• Published in: Journal of chemical neuroanatomy 2021-07, Vol.114, p.101957-101957, Article 101957
• Main Authors: Jones, Danielle N., Raghanti, Mary Ann
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Autism spectrum disorder; Depression; Female; Humans; Male; Monoamine oxidase; Monoamine Oxidase - metabolism; Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Nervous System Diseases - enzymology; Neurodegenerative disease; Schizophrenia; Sex Characteristics; Species Specificity
• ISSN: 0891-0618; 1873-6300
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2021.101957

•Monoamine oxidases have been implicated in the pathophysiology of various neurological disorders.•Functional monoamine oxidase genetic polymorphisms are associated with neurological disorder risk, symptoms, and treatment response.•Rodents and primates display differences in monoamine oxidase function and developmental trajectory in the brain.•Monoamine oxidases are regulated by sex hormones via canonical and non-canonical pathways.•Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are promising therapeutic agents for preventing and slowing the progress of neurodegenerative disease. Monoamine oxidase enzymes are responsible for the degredation of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the central neurvous system. Although it has been nearly 100 years since they were first described, we are still learning about their role in the healthy brain and how they are altered in various disease states. The present review provides a survey of our current understanding of monoamine oxidases, with a focus on their contributions to neuropsychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative disease. Important species differences in monoamine oxidase function and development in the brain are highlighted. Sex-specific monoamine oxidase regulatory mechanisms and their implications for various neurological disorders are also discussed. While our understanding of these critical enzymes has expanded over the last century, gaps exist in our understanding of sex and species differences and the roles monoamine oxidases may play in conditions often comorbid with neurological disorders.