MAO activity is associated with the use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. Low MAO activity is a biological marker for susceptability to alcoholism which has been linked with both MAO-A and -B. Studies have been done ruling out the possibility that the use of drugs could affect MAO activity. People with low MAO activity and low intelligence are particularly susceptible to excessive drug use or alcoholism.

Another study has shown that college age substance abusers have significantly lower levels of MAO. The study also showed that MAO activity was elevated in sons of substance abusing fathers. Conduct disorder is possibly related to high MAO activity. Sons with conduct disorder and substance abusing fathers have higher levels of MAO activity than sons with conduct disorder without substance abusing fathers, and sons without conduct disorder.

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