Modification of L-DOPA pharmacological activity by MAO inhibitors

Summary Dopamine behaves mainly as a MAO-A substrate in rodent brain, but selective inhibition of MAO-B results in an increased turning activity following L-DOPA administration in hemi-Parkinsonian rodents. Unilateral substantia nigra dopaminergic denervation results in serotonergic hyper-innervation which may increase the contribution of MAO-A in the denervated striatum. Possibly as a result of this, there was no change in striatal MAO-A activity when 95% of dopaminergic innervation was reduced by 6-hydroxydopamine, as assessed by apomorphine-induced turning activity. MAO-B as well as MAO-A may contribute to deamination of dopamine produced from L-DOPA.