What is Monoamine oxidase inhibitor?
{{no sources}} [[File:MonoamineOxidase-1GOS.png|thumb|Monoamine oxidase]] '''Monoamine oxidase inhibitors''' (MAOIs) and '''reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors''' (RIMAs) are a type of [[antidepressant]] drugs given for the [[treatment]] of [[Major depressive disorder|depression]]. They are good at treating [[Depression (mental illness)|atypical depression]], [[Parkinson's disease]], [[anxiety disorder]]s, [[social phobia]] and have also shown to help people with [[Smoking cessation|stopping smoking]] [[tobacco]]. As MAOIs drugs can be [[Death|fatal]] if someone takes [[Overdose|too much]], they are usually only ever given when other [[antidepressant]] drugs have failed. Some newer drugs such as [[selegiline]] and [[moclobemide]] have proven to be safer than the older MAOIs and are [[Prescription|prescribed]] by [[physician]]s in the first instance. == Uses == MAOIs and RIMAs are used to provide a second line of treatment for certain [[Psychiatry|psychiatric]] illnesses, most commonly types of hard to treat [[Depression (mental illness)|depression]] with not normal [[symptom]]s and [[anxiety]] disorders (with or without [[panic attack]]s). They may also be used for [[social phobia]]. MAO-B inhibitors are used to treat [[Parkinson's disease]]. Certain MAOIs have been shown to help people to stop smoking [[tobacco]]. == How they work == Monoamine oxidase inhibitors work by stopping the action of an [[enzyme]] called [[monoamine oxidase]]. This enzyme breaks down a group of [[neurotransmitter|brain signalling chemicals]] called the [[monoamine neurotransmitter]]s. There are two types of the enzyme, MAO-A and MAO-B. Each type breaks apart different chemicals in the group. MAO-A breaks down [[melatonin]], [[serotonin]], [[epinephrine]] and [[norepinephrine]]. MAO-B breaks down [[phenylethylamine]] and the [[trace amine]]s. These chemicals (neurotransmitters) are used in the brain for signalling purposes. [[Dopamine]], for example, is a chemical that affects [[wikt:motivation|motivation]] and [[wikt:pleasure|p