Biological Vulnerability to Depression: Replication of MAO and Evoked Potentials as Risk Factors

Abstract

In previous work, we have reported that specific combinations of platelet (MAO) activity and evoked potential augmenting/reducing (AR) are associated with risk for affective disorders. This new study screened 271 college freshmen solely on MAO and AR and selected a sample with extreme values on both measures. These students were interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and they completed a family history questionnaire and psychosocial scales. Following the previous work, the same MAO and AR combinations were related to the frequency of major depression and a family history of psychiatric disorder.

IQ-Related fMRI Differences during Cognitive Set Shifting

“…In general, PET and fMRI studies involving working memory and mental imagery/rotation show reduced activation in more proficient participants (Haier et al 1988; Haier et al 1992; Kosslyn et al 1996; Rypma and D'Esposito 1999; Rypma et al 2002; Rypma et al 2005) and are often taken as support for the neural efficiency hypothesis. Close scrutiny, however, suggests that such an interpretation is sometimes less straight-forward.…”

Monoamine oxidase: associations with alcohol dependence, smoking and other measures of psychopathology

“…These drugs increase the concentration of serotonin in the synapse and a similar effect might occur in people who have naturally low MAO activity ; therefore subjects with high MAO activity might be predisposed to depression or to subtypes of depression. There is some experimental support for this concept but other studies have found lower MAO activity in depressed subjects than controls, and no clear pattern has emerged (Samson et al 1985 ;Georgotas et al 1986 ;Poirier et al 1987 ;Haier et al 1988 ;Meltzer et al 1988 ;Pandey et al 1992 ;Reichborn Kjennerup et al 1996).…”

Behavioral and biochemical studies of total furocoumarins from seeds of Psoralea corylifolia in the forced swimming test in mice

“…Monoamine oxidase (MAO,EC 1.4.3.4) is an important enzyme in the metabolism of a wide range of monoamine neurotransmitters. The activity of MAO has been suggested to be a trait-dependent indicator of vulnerability to psychopathology (Haier et al, 1988;Du et al, 2002). MAO exists in two forms, A and B. Inhibition of MAO-A activity is believed to the HPA axis response to stress (Fontanges et al, 1993).…”