Catecholamines and monoamine oxidase activity in anxiety

Abstract

Levels of platelet monoamine oxidase activity, state anxiety and trait anxiety were quantified twice in 20 drug-free subjects with generalized anxiety and an equal number of healthy drug-free controls at 4-week intervals. Fiften subjects in each group also had plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine measured. The index group received relaxation training during the interval between the two evaluation sessions. Post-relaxation training values for monoamine oxidase, epinephrine, norepinephrine and the anxiety levels were found to be significantly lower than the pre-treatment values for the index group. No significant changes were seen in the control group values. For the index group, catecholamine levels and monoamine oxidase activity were seen to correlate significantly before and after relaxation training.