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Platelet Monoamine Oxidase Activity and Aggressive Obsessions
patients and 29 healthy controls matched by age, sex and tobacco use, central transmitter systems. A common genetic control may be mediated
and explored the relationship between platelet MAO activity and by common gene promoter sequences and co-regulation of platelet MAO
aggressive obsessions in OCD patients. We did not find any differences in and monoamine transmitter genes.
44
platelet MAO activity between OCD patients and healthy controls. We
found a significant correlation between platelet MAO activity and
Y-BOCS scores in the group of patients with Y-BOCS scores >15. OCD
It is possible that the small sample size
patients with aggressive obsessions had significantly lower levels of
of studies may have hindered the
platelet MAO activity than patients without aggressive obsessions. We
discovery of significant associations
concluded that platelet MAO activity may be a marker of OCD severity or,
alternatively, low platelet MAO activity may be associated with aggressive between serotonergic markers and
obsessions in OCD patients, and not with the disorder itself.
obsessive–compulsive scales.
Low platelet MAO activity has been linked to aggression-related
personality traits,
42
and has been consistently reported in criminal In conclusion, our prior findings and the results of numerous studies seem
offenders.
28,38,42
Moreover, platelet MAO activity has been reported to be to support the role of the serotonergic system in OCD (at least in severe
lower among violent offenders than among non-violent offenders.
43
It cases). However, the relationship between serotonergic function and
has been hypothesised that low MAO activity may be associated with an OCD appears to be very complex. It is possible that the small sample size
imbalance in central neurotransmitter systems that regulate aggression.
28
of the studies may have hindered the discovery of significant associations
However, low platelet MAO activity has also been connected with between serotonergic markers and OCD scales. Alternatively, other
personality traits such as impulsiveness, sensation seeking or monotony variables such as age, gender, medication, tobacco use and subclinical
avoidance.
28,42
This increases the level of complexity and may confound psychiatric co-morbidity (possibly missed by the exclusion criteria of the
the putative association between platelet MAO activity and aggression. studies) may confound the results. Furthermore, aggressive obsessions
may be linked to low platelet MAO activity, and OCD with aggressive
Several theoretical possibilities have been suggested that may explain the obsessions may constitute a distinct clinical phenotype in OCD.
7
Future
association between platelet MAO activity and personality traits/ studies should try to take all of this into account and use samples that are
behaviour.
44
The first hypothesis states that platelet MAO is correlated to as homogeneous as possible. ■
brain MAO-B, which could contribute to the creation of personality traits
through an effect on the rate of monoamine neurotransmitter degradation Acknowledgements
and on monoaminergic activity. The second hypothesis suggests that The study was supported by a 2005 FIS Research Grant (PI050500:
platelet MAO may directly affect the level of some trace amine that may be ‘Estudio functional y genético de la MAO en pacientes con Trastorno
relevant for behaviour. The third hypothesis is based on the assumption Obsesivo Compulsivo. Implicaciones en tratamiento y pronóstico’), a 2004
that platelet MAO is regulated together with other mitochondrial enzymes, FIS Research Grant (G03/184: ‘Plataforma de genotipación para la
and low platelet MAO may be a marker for low mitochondrial function. identificación de factores genéticos implicados en la susceptibilidad y en la
This may result in lower efficiency in a particularly vulnerable transmitter respuesta farmacológica de las enfermedades mentales’), the Conchita
system (such as the serotonergic system). Finally, the fourth hypothesis Rabago Foundation, the Spanish Ministry of Health (Instituto de Salud
suggests that platelet MAO is a genetic marker for the ‘capacity’ of some Carlos III, CIBERSAM) and the Harriet and Esteban Vicente Foundation.
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