Reduced Monoamine Oxidase Activity in Platelets: A Possible Genetic Marker for Vulnerability to Schizophrenia

Monoamine oxidase activity in blood platelets was measured, with [$^{14}$C]tryptamine as substrate, in 13 monozygotic twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia and in 23 normal volunteers. The monoamine oxidase activity of both schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic co-twins was significantly lower than i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1973-03, Vol.179 (4076), p.916-918
Main Authors: Wyatt, R. J., Murphy, D. L., Belmaker, R., Cohen, S., Donnelly, C. H., Pollin, W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Blood Platelets - enzymology
Carbon Isotopes
Disease remission
Diseases in Twins
Female
HeLa cells
Humans
Identical twins
Infections
L cells
Male
Middle Aged
Monoamine Oxidase - blood
Monoamine Oxidase - metabolism
Oxidases
Phenothiazines - therapeutic use
Platelets
Poliovirus
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - blood
Schizophrenia - drug therapy
Schizophrenia - enzymology
Schizophrenia - genetics
Schizophrenia, Paranoid - enzymology
Schizophrenia, Paranoid - genetics
Tryptamines - metabolism
Twins
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Summary:Monoamine oxidase activity in blood platelets was measured, with [$^{14}$C]tryptamine as substrate, in 13 monozygotic twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia and in 23 normal volunteers. The monoamine oxidase activity of both schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic co-twins was significantly lower than it was for the normals, and it was highly correlated between twins. In addition, there was a significant inverse correlation between a measure of the degree of the schizophrenic disorder and the monoamine oxidase activity. These data suggest, but do not prove, that reduced platelet monoamine oxidase activity may provide a genetic marker for vulnerability to schizophrenia.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.179.4076.916