Evidence that brain MAO A activity does not correspond to MAO A genotype in healthy male subjects.
BACKGROUND
A functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A (MAO A) gene has two common alleles that are referred to as the high and low MAO A genotypes. We report the first in vivo human study to determine whether there is an association between MAO A genotype and brain MAO A activity in healthy male subjects.


METHODS
Brain MAO A activity was measured with positron emission tomography and [(11)C]clorgyline in 38 healthy adult male nonsmokers genotyped for MAO A polymorphism.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in brain MAO A activity between the high (n = 26) and low (n = 12) MAO A genotypes.


CONCLUSIONS
The lack of an association between the high and low MAO A genotype and brain MAO A activity suggests that this polymorphism by itself does not contribute to differences in brain MAO A activity in healthy adult male subjects.
Fowler
Joanna S
JS
Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA. fowler@bnl.gov
Alia-Klein
Nelly
N
Kriplani
Aarti
A
Logan
Jean
J
Williams
Benjamin
B
Zhu
Wei
W
Craig
Ian W
IW
Telang
Frank
F
Goldstein
Rita
R
Volkow
Nora D
ND
Vaska
Paul
P
Wang
Gene-Jack
GJ
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D003010:Clorgyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D003010:Clorgyline