title: Greater monoamine oxidase a binding in perimenopausal age as measured with carbon 11-labeled harmine positron emission tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Perimenopause is a period of high risk for mood disorders, and it has been proposed that perimenopause is also a window of risk for processes linked to later dementia. However, in human perimenopause, the neurobiological changes implicated in the genesis of mood disorders or dementia have not been identified. Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) is an important brain enzyme that creates oxidative stress, influences apoptosis, and metabolizes monoamines. After declines in estrogen level, MAO-A density may be elevated for a month or longer, and repeated declines in estrogen level occur with greater magnitude during perimenopause.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether MAO-A total distribution volume (VT), an index of MAO-A density, is elevated in women of perimenopausal age (41-51 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study at a tertiary care psychiatric hospital, 58 women underwent carbon 11-labeled harmine positron emission tomography. These included 19 young women of reproductive age (mean [SD], 28.26 [5.05] years), 27 women of perimenopausal age (mean [SD] age, 45.21 [3.41] years; including 14 women with change in menstrual cycle length with a mean [SD] age of 45.50 [4.00] years and 13 women with no change in menstrual cycle length with a mean [SD] age of 44.92 [2.81] years), and 12 women in menopause (mean [SD] age, 56.25 [3.19] years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Values of MAO-A VT in the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, dorsal striatum, ventral striatum, thalamus, hippocampus, and midbrain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, MAO-A VT in perimenopausal age was elevated by 34% compared with reproductive age and by 16% compared with menopause (multivariate analysis of variance, group effect, F16,94 = 3.03; P < .001). Within the perimenopausal age group, meeting Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop criteria for perimenopause, which is mainly based on menstrual cycle length, was not associated with MAO-A VT (F8,18 = 0.548; P = .81) but tendency to cry was positively correlated with MAO-A VT in the prefrontal cortex (r = 0.54; P = .008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first report of a change in a central biomarker during perimenopausal age that is also present during major depressive episodes and high-risk states for major depressive episodes. The functions of MAO-A influence oxidative stress and apoptosis, 2 processes implicated as excessive in both mood disorders and dementia. Hence, greater MAO-A VT during perimenopause may represent a new target for assessing novel interventions to prevent mood disorders and reduce longer-term risk of neurodegenerative disease.
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Paraskevi Vivien
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Rekkas
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Alan A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Vivian Wai Han
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Priyanga
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yogalingam
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sacher
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rusjan
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Houle
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Women's Health Program, and Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Donna E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Nathan J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kolla
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kish
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiuccariello
authors.affiliation: Research Imaging Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006247:Harmine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D006247:Harmine; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase