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Neurobiology/Neurodegeneration: Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Inhibitors | | | Monoamine oxidase (MAO), a flavin-containing enzyme, catalyzes the oxidative deamination of several naturally occurring monoamines. It regulates the metabolic degradation of catecholamines and serotonin in neural and other target tissues. Two distinct subtypes of MAO have been identified, MAO-A and MAO-B. MAO-A is found in norepinephrine and serotonin nerve terminals in the brain, in human placenta, intestine, and peripheral norepinephrine-secreting nerve terminals. MAO-B is usually found in dopamine-secreting neurons in the brain.
Intestinal MAO-A is believed to protect cells from any exogenous amines contained in foods that might otherwise displace norepinephrine from storage vesicles in adrenergic neurons.
MAO inhibitors prolong the effect of monoamine transmitters. These inhibitors tend to increase the levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain. They have been used as therapeutic agents in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Since they enhance the dopaminergic tone in the brain, they are also used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. | | | | | | Inhibitors: Monoamine Oxidase |
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| Quinacrine, Dihydrochloride |
551850 |
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