Millions of people in the U.S. and abroad are impacted by mental health conditions. This not only involves those suffering from mental health illness, but their family members as well. While depression remains the most prevalent of these conditions, many others exist, and include things like anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more. The challenge in caring for these patients, however, often relates to accurate diagnosis. Clinical assessments are usually required, which are time consuming. They also often fail to accurately assign the condition to symptoms. This is why a mental healthcare disruptor would be welcomed. What has been needed are a series of blood tests for psychiatric disorders. And based on recent research, a blood test to detect brain changes may offer a means to realize such tests.
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Several universities are actively exploring a variety of blood tests for psychiatric disorders presently. Some of these have studied a blood test to detect brain changes in post-partum depression. Others are exploring similar blood examinations that might better diagnose bipolar disorder, anxiety, and even suicide risks. Each of these not only have the potential to improve detection, prevention, and care. But they also could alleviate the demand burdens on providers who perform psychiatric clinical assessments. And these findings could lead to the better selection of treatments as part of a personalized medicine approach. Such discoveries couldn’t come at a better time.
“This is very exciting, because right now, there isn’t a blood marker for disorders affecting the brain. Essentially, these conditions are diagnosed by clinical interviews between patients and providers.” – Dr. Lena Smirnova, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
A Possible Blood Test for Postpartum Depression
The most recent study exploring blood tests for psychiatric disorders comes out of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. The study examined what is known as tiny extracellular vesicles that exist in the bloodstream. These vesicles contain tiny fatty molecules that include messenger RNA particles (mRNA). Through these mRNA particles, cells in the body are able to communicate. In addition, these vesicles of mRNA are site specific, containing genetic material from their site of origin. Thus, researchers believed a blood test to detect brain changes might potentially identify women with higher postpartum depression risk. And this is actually what was revealed in the study.
The researchers essentially collected blood-specific mRNA particles from these vesicles from dozens of women during and after pregnancy. Through genetic pathway analysis, they were able to link some of these mRNAs to the later development of postpartum depression. In fact, there were a total of 13 mRNAs that were associated with this mental health condition. While this was not a blood test to detect brain changes, it did provide a blood test for psychiatric disorders involving depression. It was also found that these mRNAs were only present during pregnancy and not after birth. In other words, they were produced by the placenta only since this was no longer present after delivery. While these same genetic markers may not be helpful in detecting depression risks in general, they seem to be for postpartum depression. Such a blood test would be very helpful in providing proactive care to such women in advance.
Other Potential Blood Tests for Psychiatric Disorders
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are not the only scientists exploring blood tests for psychiatric disorders. Several institutions hope to find a blood test to detect brain changes that may be associated with specific illnesses. One of the more interesting pieces of research is coming out of Cambridge University. Their focus has been on bipolar disorder and specific metabolites that may be linked to this condition. As such, they have studied thousands of patients with known depression or bipolar disease. In these patients, blood analysis of over 600 metabolites have been performed. Based on their findings, blood testing alone was able to identify bipolar disease patients 30% of the time. And when combined with clinical assessments, this figure jumped significantly higher.
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For bipolar disorder, a blood test to detect brain changes could be a game changer. This is because about 40% of those with bipolar disorder are misdiagnosed with depression alone. This has substantial consequences in theory in that misdiagnosis can lead to poor treatment and outcomes. Adding a blood test to detect brain changes associated with bipolar could help alleviate this problem. At the same time, it would improve treatment selection and reduce the time required for providers to assess patients. Such quality, resource use, and cost benefits are why researchers are excited about various blood tests for psychiatric disorders. Whether its metabolites or genetic material, blood testing could provide the efficiency and accuracy needed in managing mental health disorders.
Blood tests for other psychiatric disorders being evaluated include those related to anxiety, PTSD, and suicide. Researchers at Indiana University have identified mRNA biomarkers in the blood that consistently predict anxiety risks. Levels reportedly correlate with anxiety severity and risk for generalized anxiety disorder. They also help identify which treatment options may be ideal. Similar research has been conducted among patients with suicidal thoughts and ideations. A blood test to detect brain changes in these patients may soon be available as well. And blood tests could even be available for pain conditions and autism spectrum disorder. Such a test for pain would completely revamp pain management approaches which now rely on subjective reporting. Not to mention, these types of tests will also usher in personalized medicine approaches more quickly.
A Hot New Field of Study
Should the current research involving blood tests for psychiatric disorders pan out, major changes in mental healthcare would occur. Currently, there is a great deal of subjectivity when it comes to diagnosing these conditions. In contrast, a blood test to detect brain changes in mental health disorders is much more objective. This would improve accuracy of diagnosis and save time and money as well. But most importantly, these genetic and metabolite markers would guide new research about disease causes and treatments. It would appear that the most recent studies are just the beginning of a new approach to mental illness care. What evolves from here is likely to be truly impressive and exciting.
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