Low platelet monoamine oxidase activity in cigarette smokers

The activity of platelet monoamine oxidase was found to be significantly lower in normal female subjects who smoked at least 5 cigarettes per day than in non-smokers. The platelet MAO activity of individuals who had given up smoking was not significantly different from the activity for non-smokers. The difference in activities between smokers and non-smokers, due entirely to a V_max rather than a K_m change, was not due to a direct effect of nicotine upon the platelet MAO. In addition, platelet-poor plasma from smokers activated platelet MAO in an identical manner to that from non-smokers. The significance of these results are discussed in terms of personality characteristics such as impulsivity and sensation seeking, that may be related to both smoking and to low MAO activity.