Eye-blink rates and platelet monoamine oxidase activity in chronic schizophrenic patients

The present findings suggest a correlation between platelet MAO activity and central dopaminergic activity as reflected by eye-blink rates. Although the relationship between platelet MAO and brain MAO is unknown, it is of interest that dopamine is a substrate for human MAO from both tissues (Glover et al., 1977). Beyond this, the basis for the relationship between platelet MAO activity and eye-blinking is unknown. However, it is not unreasonable to expect that brain MAO, as reflected by MAO activity in platelets, exerts some influence on brain dopamine or other monoamines such as to influence eye-blinking and possibly other behaviors as well.