The effect of gender and subtype on platelet MAO in alcoholism

Decreased platelet MAO activity has been identified in male alcoholics with suggestions that this is primarily true of Type 2 alcoholics as defined by criteria from the Stockholm Adoption Study. Little information has been available regarding platelet MAO activity in female alcoholics. This study evaluated a group of 71 alcoholics receiving inpatient treatment, including 16 female alcoholics, for platelet MAO activity compared to controls. Female alcoholic's platelet MAO was significantly lower than controls and not different from activity levels in male alcoholics. Among male alcoholics, both Type 1 and Type 2 subgroups were lower than controls and Type 2 levels did not differ from Type 1 levels. Thus, we were unable to replicate a gender and subgroup low platelet MAO specificity among alcoholics, but did find significant differences between alcoholics and controls.