Neuropharmacological actions of cigarette smoke: brain monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) inhibition.
We measured the concentration of brain monoamine oxidase B (MAO B; EC 1.4.3.4) in 8 smokers and compared it with that in 8 non-smokers and in 4 former smokers using positron emission tomography (PET) and deuterium substituted [11C]L-deprenyl ([11C]L-deprenyl-D2) as a radiotracer for MAO B. Smokers had significantly lower brain MAO B than non-smokers as measured by the model term lambda k3 which is a function of MAO B activity. Reductions were observed in all brain regions. Low brain MAO B in the cigarette smoker appears to be a pharmacological rather than a genetic effect since former smokers did not differ from non-smokers. Brain MAO B inhibition by cigarette smoke is of relevance in light of the inverse association between smoking and Parkinson's disease and a high prevalence of smoking in psychiatric disorders and in substance abuse. Though nicotine is at the core of the neuropharmacological actions of tobacco smoke, MAO B inhibition may also be an important variable in understanding and treating tobacco smoke addiction.
Fowler
J S
JS
Department of Chemistry and Medicine, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA.
Volkow
N D
ND
Wang
G J
GJ
Pappas
N
N
Logan
J
J
MacGregor
R
R
Alexoff
D
D
Wolf
A P
AP
Warner
D
D
Cilento
R
R
Zezulkova
I
I
D000328:Adult; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D003903:Deuterium; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012642:Selegiline; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D012906:Smoke; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D012642:Selegiline; D009538:Nicotine; D003903:Deuterium; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D005947:Glucose