A blood test may eventually help diagnose depression
Date: 29.2.2012
A small, pilot study shows a new blood test accurately distinguishes patients diagnosed with depression from control participants. In a paper published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, a team including MGH researchers reports a test of nine biological measures, or "biomarkers," in a patient's blood could determine whether they are depressed. The biomarkers are associated with factors such as inflammation, neuron development and stress response in the brain structure.
The test accurately pinpointed depression in 90 percent of previously diagnosed depressed patients.
Since diagnosing depression currently depends on the experience and resources of the clinician conducting the assessment, this test could help doctors who aren't as experienced in psychiatric disorders make an accurate diagnosis.
