Scientists Develop New Blood Test That Could Diagnose Your Level of Depression 17 APRIL 2021 A newly developed system that monitors for blood biomarkers linked to mood disorders could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat depression and bipolar disorder, all beginning with a simple blood test.
While depression has been recognized for centuries and affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, the traditional diagnosis still depends on clinical assessments by doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Blood tests might inform such health assessments, to check whether symptoms of depression might be related to other factors, but they're not used in clinical practice to objectively and independently diagnose the condition itself. The new research suggests this could be a practical option in the future.