An association study of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene polymorphism in methamphetamine psychosis

Kazuhiko Nakamura, Yoshimoto Sekine, Noriyoshi Takei, Yasuhide Iwata, Katsuaki Suzuki, Ayyappan Anitha, Toshiya Inada, Mutsuo Harano, Tokutaro Komiyama, Mitsuhiko Yamada, Nakao Iwata, Masaomi Iyo, Ichiro Sora, Norio Ozaki, Hiroshi Ujike, Norio Mori

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Methamphetamine continues to be the most widely abused drug in Japan. Chronic methamphetamine users show psychiatric signs, including methamphetamine psychosis. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) is one of the major enzymes responsible for the degradation of neurotransmitters. Abnormalities in MAO levels have been related to a wide range of psychiatric disorders. We examined whether or not the MAOA-u variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) has a functional polymorphism in methamphetamine psychosis and whether or not such a polymorphism is related to the prolongation of psychosis. As expected, there was a significant difference in the MAOA-u VNTR between males with persistent versus transient methamphetamine psychosis (p = 0.018, odds ratio (OR) = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.18-6.46). Our results suggest that the high-activity allele class of MAOA-u VNTR in males may be involved in susceptibility to a persistent course of methamphetamine psychosis. We found no differences among females. The sample size of females with methamphetamine psychosis was too small to have significant analysis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)120-123
Number of pages4
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume455
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15-05-2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Neuroscience

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