MAO and aggression

Abstract

observations of epigenetic regulation of MAO activity. MAO inhibition raises brain amine levels, a fact exploited for antidepressant effect, and now being incorporated into multi-target compounds to combat neurodegenerative conditions. Catalysis, mechanism and inhibition of MAO, important both for measuring levels in tissues and for drug design, are described. Of the successful irreversible drugs that inhibit MAO B, the classic non-selective MAO inhibitor, phenelzine, the MAO B-selective inhibitor deprenyl (selegiline, now commonly used in PD), and the cyclopropylamine, Parnate, are highlighted, along with labazemide as a reversible inhibitor. Recent developments in reversible inhibitor design include some compounds with nanomolar affinity but there is no indication that they will be successful in vivo. In the meantime, the traditional irreversible inhibitors are effective and well understood drugs.

Reduced Platelet MAO-B Activity Is Associated with Psychotic, Positive, and Depressive Symptoms in PTSD

“…Both human [28] and animal [29] studies confirmed the important role of MAO in aggressive behavior, assumed to be achieved by modulating corticolimbic circuits affecting social information processing and emotional responsiveness. Platelet MAO-B activity was reported to be reduced in different psychopathological and disinhibited, criminal, and violent behaviors and aggression [21,[30][31][32][33].…”