Using a simple blood test may one day help doctors to better differentiate between clinical depression and normal mood swings in adolescents, US scientists says.
Early diagnosis of clinical depression among teens can significantly help their treatment and restore their social and personal life. It can also reduce their risk of substance abuse, physical illnesses and suicide, Iranian Press TV reported. Differentiating between early-onset major depressive disorder or MMD and normal teenage angst is one of the main challenges for families and physicians.
In a pilot study of 28 teenagers, researchers of Northwestern University demonstrated that depression could be diagnosed through a panel of 11 genetic markers, says the report published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.
The team tested blood samples of participants for 26 genetic markers of major depression that they had previously identified in lab rats. They found that 11 markers showed up in depressed teens but not in their healthy counterparts.
“The idea is that if you have an objective measure that is similar to any other lab test, it will bring mental illness into the same arena as other illnesses,” said study author Eva Redei. “It’s similar to cholesterol testing. If the levels are not within the normal range, they are flagged,” she added. Researchers hope that doctors can easily use their blood test for diagnosis and screening teens and adults with early symptoms of depression.
