Soon a blood test to detect depression and bipolar disorder?

A new test to provide more accurate screening. American researchers at Indiana University are working on a blood test which, they promise, will prevent misdiagnosis for people who suffer from mood disorders. They presented their results on April 8 in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

26 identified biomarkers

The blood test is made up of RNA biomarkers that help distinguish the severity of a patient’s depression, the risk of developing severe depression and bipolar disorder in the future. This test also makes it possible to distinguish which drug is the most suitable for the patients. To develop it, the researchers conducted a four-year study that involved 300 participants.

First, each volunteer was tracked and the researchers recorded changes in their blood biomarkers based on their moods. Using data from previous studies, they validated 26 key biomarkers found in people with severe clinical depression. These biomarkers have also been tested in other independent cohorts to determine their ability to predict who is sick and who will become sick in the future.

The influence of the circadian clock

“Through this work, we wanted to develop blood tests for depression and bipolar disorder, distinguish between the two, and match people to the right treatments.continues Alexander Niculescu, professor of psychiatry at Indiana University and lead author of the study. Blood biomarkers are becoming important tools in disorders for which an individual’s subjective self-report or a healthcare professional’s clinical impression is not always reliable. These blood tests can pave the way for accurate, personalized drug matching and objective monitoring of treatment response..”

During their research, researchers realized that mood disorders are influenced by circadian clock genes. “This explains why some patients see their situation worsen with the seasonal changes and sleep alterations that occur in mood disorders.”, advances Alexander Niculescu.