[Neurochemical perspectives of the function of monoamine oxidases]

Abstract

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) and its subtypes MAO-A and MAO-B show different distribution in post mortem human brain areas. While MAO-B is the predominant type in glial tissue, intraneuronal MAO is either of type A (locus coeruleus, only 10% of substantia nigra neurons stain MAO-A), while raphe neurons contain entirely MAO-B. Inhibition of MAO-subtypes leads to accumulation of biogenic amines in glial tissue while there is a selective intraneuronal influence differing between various brain areas. Generation of toxic end-products (eg. aldehydes, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia) may contribute to trigger or at least to progress Parkinson's disease.