Depression Test?

Research lead by Mark Rasenick of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine indicates that depression may be identified with a simple test. By identifying a protein in the brain, Rasenick believes he can gain new insights on depression as well as depression treatments.

In your brain, there are regions known as "lipid rafts." The function of a lipid raft is to process communication between different membranes in your brain. The research conducted suggests that a protein found in these lipid rafts, known as Gs alpha, could indicate depression. Whenever Gs alpha is present, it greatly affects the lipid rafts ability to function effectively in the brain, thus leading to depression. This advance is unprecedented in the medical world, as no such protein-test for depression exists as of now.

In addition to detecting depression, Rasenick also believes that his test could show how effective antidepressants and depression therapies are on patients. How antidepressants work is a very vague concept. What we do know is that they affect individual people in different ways, making them difficult to prescribe. It's even more difficult to see if the prescription is working, as some antidepressants can take at least a month before results are seen. Other research conducted on cultured brain cells shows Gs alpha proteins often move as a response to antidepressants. Measuring the level of Gs alpha proteins could show early on if a particular medication is working for an individual, or if another prescription is needed.

This life changing study was conducted with funding provided by the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and further investigation is underway. No results are official yet, but all those involved say that the results of this study look promising. If a test were to be developed, it would aid in the many cases of depression, making it much easier to diagnose. Depression is an issue affecting millions of people around the world. At some point in your life, you will be affected by depression; your own or someone else's, according to Australian Government statistics, making this study valuable to everyone in some way.