Chronic fluvoxamine treatment reduces platelet MAO activity in medicated chronic schizophrenics

The effect of add-on fluvoxamine on platelet MAO activity was studied in nine chronic schizophrenic patients on steady antipsychotic treatment. Platelet MAO activity decreased significantly after 5 weeks of treatment and remained depressed. Since fluvoxamine does not inhibit MAO activity in vitro, the findings, which are preliminary, raise the possibility that chronic SSRI treatment may modify MAO production.