A massive discovery for depression diagnosis

According to science news website, IFLScience, a huge breakthrough in depression science has been found.

Specific blood markers have been found with the potential to diagnose major depressive episodes, making it the first accurate blood test for this disease. IFLSCience quoted the lead author, Professor Eva Redei who said the test would “bring mental health diagnosis into the 21st century.”

It also has the potential to transform the way mental illness is treated and managed in the future. Professor Redei said, “Currently we know drug therapy is effective but not for everybody and psychotherapy is effective but not for everybody.”

“We know combined therapies are more effective than either alone but maybe by combining therapies we are using a scattershot approach. Having a blood test would allow us to better target treatment to individuals.”

The study was carried out on a small sample size so more widespread testing would need to be undertaken with positive results before it becomes available to the average person, but it a huge breakthrough in an area that really needs it.

Depression has become far too commonplace in society. According to Beyond Blue it is the leading cause of disability worldwide and an estimated one million Australian adults has depression at any one time. Misdiagnosis is one of the biggest problems with depression as the symptoms vary from person to person and until now, there has been no strict biochemistry to indicate the condition.

Hopefully this test will become available and it will lead to the better diagnosis and treatment of the many, many, people suffering from this disease.

If it became available here, would you happily take the test during doctor appointments? Would you like to see a loved one or friend take the test?