Researchers develop blood test to check for depression

A new blood test developed by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital could accurately diagnose individuals who have symptoms of depression. The new screening method could improve the accuracy of depression diagnoses and make it easier for doctors to determine if a patient requires a prescription to buy Paxil.

The test measures the presence of nine different biomarkers in the blood. Each compound has been associated with depressive symptoms. The researchers said that testing for these substances is frequently accurate and rarely leads to false-positive results.

Determining whether or not a patient meets the clinical requirements of depression can be difficult and is often based on the subjective perceptions of medical professionals. However, the new test would give doctors a more objective means of accurately diagnosing the condition in all patients.

"Traditionally, diagnosis of major depression and other mental disorders has been made based on patients' reported symptoms, but the accuracy of that process varies a great deal, often depending on the experience and resources of the clinician conducting the assessment," said George Papakostas, who led the development of the test.