Amine Oxidases and Their Impact on Neurobiology: Proceedings of the 4th International Amine Oxidases Workshop, Wurzburg, Federal Republic of Germany, (Journal of Neural Transmission Supplementum)

This text describes the most recent research in the field of monoamine oxidase (MAO), diamine oxidase and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase. MAO and its subtypes have gained enormous attention in the treatment of a variety of disorders, such as depression syndrome, Parkinson's disease and dementia of the Alzheimer type. Selective and reversible MAO-A inhibitors (brofaromine, moclobemide) have been developed which are easy to handle in clinical practice and show reduced side effects compared to the early irreversible and unspecific MAO-I's. In addition, the irreversible and selective MAO-B inhibitor has been shown to prolong the life expectancy of patients with Parkinson's disease. Therefore this book contains, in addition to the 36 articles on MAO and its inhibitors, a number of chapters dealing in part with deamination. The roles of catechol-O-methyltransferase, sulfation and up-take-processes are also discussed in detail. This is of particular interest as such an overall view allows a closer insight on neuronal and extraneuronal metabolizing processes.