Monoamine oxidase activity and the puerperal blues syndrome

The puerperal blues syndrome has been examined prospectively in 38 women in relation to platelet M.A.O. activity using C¹⁴-tyramine and C¹⁴-P.E.A. as substrates and the Present State Examination to evaluate psychiatric symptoms. Of the eight main psychiatric variables which were found to comprise the syndrome, three, ‘depression’, ‘concentration loss’ and ‘obsessionalism’, correlated significantly with M.A.O. activity during the study but only depression has consistently significantly correlated with M.A.O. activity over the 6 days of the study. The significance of these changes in mood and the relationship to platelet M.A.O. activity is discussed.