MAO inhibitors
MAO Inhibitors
MAO inhibitors or Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (pronounced: moh-noh-uh-meen oks-uh-days in-hib-it-ers) are a class of drugs that inhibit the activity of one or both monoamine oxidase enzymes: monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). They have a long history of use as medications prescribed for the treatment of depression.
Etymology
The term "MAO inhibitors" is derived from the name of the enzymes they inhibit, monoamine oxidase. Monoamine oxidases are enzymes that are involved in the breakdown of monoamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. The term "inhibitor" refers to the ability of these drugs to inhibit the activity of these enzymes.
Types of MAO Inhibitors
There are several types of MAO inhibitors, including:
- Non-selective MAO inhibitors: These inhibit both MAO-A and MAO-B enzymes. Examples include Phenelzine and Tranylcypromine.
- Selective MAO-A inhibitors: These inhibit only the MAO-A enzyme. An example is Moclobemide.
- Selective MAO-B inhibitors: These inhibit only the MAO-B enzyme. Examples include Selegiline and Rasagiline.
Related Terms
- Neurotransmitter: A chemical substance that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the arrival of a nerve impulse and, by diffusing across the synapse or junction, causes the transfer of the impulse to another nerve fiber, a muscle fiber, or some other structure.
- Dopamine: A neurotransmitter associated with movement, attention, learning, and the brain’s pleasure and reward system.
- Serotonin: A neurotransmitter, derived from tryptophan, that is involved in sleep, depression, memory, and other neurological processes.
- Norepinephrine: A neurotransmitter that is important for attentiveness, emotions, sleeping, dreaming, and learning. Norepinephrine is also released as a hormone into the blood, where it causes blood vessels to contract and heart rate to increase.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on MAO inhibitors
- Wikipedia's article - MAO inhibitors
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