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Review
. 1989;13(3-4):363-71.
doi: 10.1016/0278-5846(89)90125-5.

Brain monoamine oxidase (MAO) B: a unique neurotoxin and neurotransmitter producing enzyme

M B Youdim  1
Affiliations
Review

Brain monoamine oxidase (MAO) B: a unique neurotoxin and neurotransmitter producing enzyme

M B Youdim. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 1989.

Abstract

The notion that monoamine oxidase (MAO) functions solely to inactivate neurotransmitter and other biogenic amines needs to be re-evaluated. It is now apparent that MAO-B is capable of oxidizing inert non-polar amines such as MPTP (N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6, tetrahydropyridine) and milacemide (2-n-pentylaminoacetamide) into neuroactive substances giving rise to Parkinson inducing dopaminergic neurotoxin, MPP+ and inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitter, glycine respectively. These findings accord new prospectives for neuropsychotherapy with selective MAO-B inhibitors and substrates.

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