Researchers have developed a new way of improving diagnosis of bipolar disorder that uses a simple blood test to identify biomarkers associated with the condition.
The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, used a combination of an online psychiatric assessment and a blood test to diagnose patients with bipolar disorder, many of whom had been misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder.
Although the blood test is still a proof of concept, the researchers say it could be an effective complement to existing psychiatric diagnosis and could help researchers understand the biological origins of mental health conditions. The results are reported in the journalBipolar disorder affects approximately one percent of the population -- as many as 80 million people worldwide -- but for nearly 40% of patients, it is misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder.
"Psychiatric assessments are highly effective, but the ability to diagnose bipolar disorder with a simple blood test could ensure that patients get the right treatment the first time and alleviate some of the pressures on medical professionals," said Tomasik. Of the participants who completed the online assessment, around 1000 were selected to send in a dried blood sample from a simple finger prick, which the researchers analysed for more than 600 different metabolites using mass spectrometry. After completing the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, a fully structured and validated diagnostic tool to establish mood disorder diagnoses, 241 participants were included in the study.
"We found that some patients preferred the biomarker test, because it was an objective result that they could see," said Tomasik."Mental illness has a biological basis, and it's important for patients to know it's not in their mind. It's an illness that affects the body like any other." Sabine Bahn is Professor of Neurotechnology at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology and is a Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge.Jakub Tomasik, Scott J. Harrison, Nitin Rustogi, Tony Olmert, Giles Barton-Owen, Sung Yeon Sarah Han, Jason D. Cooper, Paweł Eljasz, Lynn P. Farrag, Lauren V. Friend, Emily Bell, Dan Cowell, Sabine Bahn.The development of a simple blood test for glioblastomas could mean earlier diagnosis and more effective and personalized treatment options.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Researchers decipher role of triglycerides in cellular barrier of tuberculosis pathogenTuberculosis is a severe infectious disease that claims about 1.3 million lives annually world-wide.
Read more »
‘Exciting’ glioblastoma study: Researchers create virus that effectively targets brain cancerBrigham and Women’s Hospital scientists report that they have created a cancer-attacking virus that can effectively target glioblastoma.
Read more »
Researchers find promising locus for molecular design breeding in legumesIn cereal and legume crops, the size of the plant organs, particularly seeds, is closely related to final yield. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying organ size control in legumes are still poorly understood.
Read more »
Researchers in China developed a hallucination correction engine for AI modelsScientists from the University of Science and Technology of China and Tencent’s YouTu Lab have developed a tool to combat “hallucination” by artificial intelligence (AI) models.
Read more »
On the trail of the 'Silver King': Researchers reveal unprecedented look at tarpon migrationNew research led by the University of Massachusetts and published recently in Marine Biology unveils a first-of-its-kind dataset, gathered over five years, that gives the finest-grained detail into the timing and spatial extent of tarpon migration.
Read more »
Researchers study the analytic pricing formulas of vulnerable timer optionsA timer option is a financial instrument, launched by Société Générale Corporate and Investment Banking in 2007, that allows buyers to specify the level of volatility and allows them to exercise their option at a random maturity time.
Read more »