Summary
Several biochemical abnormalities in peripheral tissues have been reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
With this in mind we studied platelet monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) activity and 3H-imipramine (IMI) binding in both AD patients and healthy subjects and found a significantly higher level of platelet MAO B activity and 3 H-IMI Bmax values in the AD patients. In view of the part that MAO B plays in metabolizing serotonin (5 HT) and of the relationship which exists between 3 H-IMI binding and 5 HT uptake, our results would suggest that with AD there occurs a complex dysfunction in the 5 HT system, at least at a peripheral level.
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Bonuccelli, U., Piccini, P., Marazziti, D. et al. Increased platelet 3H-imipramine binding and monoamine oxidase B activity in Alzheimer's disease. J Neural Transm Gen Sect 2, 139–147 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02260901
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02260901