1. Platelet monoamine oxidase activity in alcoholism subtypes: relationship to personality traits and executive functions
- Author
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İrem Sevinç, Başaran Demir, Gulberk Ucar, Semra Ulusoy, Berna Uluğ, and Senar Batur
- Subjects
Adult ,Blood Platelets ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Turkey ,Monoamine oxidase ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Neuropsychological Tests ,Personality Disorders ,Developmental psychology ,Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ,Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Personality ,Humans ,Big Five personality traits ,media_common ,Chi-Square Distribution ,Alcohol dependence ,General Medicine ,Middle Aged ,Executive functions ,Alcoholism ,Endocrinology ,Psychology ,Psychopathology - Abstract
Aims: The purpose of the present study was to compare alcoholic subtypes (type 1 versus type 2) with regard to platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity. A possible relationship between enzyme activity, personality traits and executive functions was also investigated. Methods: Seventeen type 1 and 16 type 2 in-patient male chronic alcoholic patients and 17 healthy male volunteers were included in the study. The personality traits were investigated by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Executive functions were assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Results: When compared to the healthy subjects, platelet MAO activity was reduced in both alcoholic groups. The enzyme activity of the type 2 group was significantly lower than that of type 1 patients. Both groups of alcoholic patients also displayed impairment in executive functions. The comparison of the MMPI-2 scores of the study groups revealed that type 2 alcoholics had more severe psychopathology. Conclusions: The results support previous evidence suggesting that platelet MAO activity is a useful biochemical measure for the subtyping of alcoholics.
- Published
- 2002