Biological vulnerability to depression: replication of MAO and evoked potentials as risk factors.

In previous work, we have reported that specific combinations of platelet (MAO) activity and evoked potential augmenting/reducing (AR) are associated with risk for affective disorders. This new study screened 271 college freshmen solely on MAO and AR and selected a sample with extreme values on both measures. These students were interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and they completed a family history questionnaire and psychosocial scales. Following the previous work, the same MAO and AR combinations were related to the frequency of major depression and a family history of psychiatric disorder.