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Platelet Mao Activity and Evoked Potentials in the Identification of Subjects Biologically at Risk for Psychiatric Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

R. D. Coursey
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, U.S.A.
M. S. Buchsbaum
Affiliation:
Biological Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health
D. L. Murphy
Affiliation:
Clinical Neuropharmacology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health

Summary

Individuals potentially at risk for psychiatric disorders were identified by screening 375 college student volunteers for low platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity levels. The lower and upper 10 per cent in MAO activity were administered a personal and family history interview, psychological tests and average evoked response (AER) electroencephalographic procedures. Results indicated that low MAO males and females were socially more active, had more psychiatric contact, and had relatives who were psychiatric-ally more disturbed than high MAO subjects. Low MAO males had more convictions, experimented more with illegal drugs and had elevated scores on the MMPI. AER criteria further defined a high risk group of low MAO-AER augmenters which had more suicides among their relatives and higher scores on the schizophrenia scale of the MMPI.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1979 

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