title: S-adenosylmethionine-dependent N-methyltransferase activity in autopsied brain parts of chronic schizophrenics and controls.
abstract: The transmethylation hypothesis of schizophrenia proposes that the disease results from excessive accumulation of methylated derivatives of biogenic amines. To test the hypothesis that an abnormality in S-adenosylmethionine-dependent N-methyltransferase (SAM enzyme) might play a role in schizophrenia, the authors compared SAM enzyme activity of in vitro preparations of 6 brain regions obtained at autopsy from chronic schizophrenics and nonschizophrenic controls. An analysis of variance demonstrated statistically significant differences among brain regions but not between schizophrenics and controls.
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000201:enzymology; D001344:Autopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008716:Methionine Adenosyltransferase / Q000032:analysis*; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000201:enzymology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000201:enzymology*; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000201:enzymology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000201:enzymology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000201:enzymology; D014021:Tissue Preservation; D014166:Transferases / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014166:Transferases; D008716:Methionine Adenosyltransferase