Simple blood test may help detect teen depression early, study finds

McGill University researchers have identified nine blood markers that could help detect depression in teenagers. The simple finger-prick test may allow for early diagnosis, offering hope for better, personalised treatment options for adolescents.

Representative image

Image Credit: Getty

In a major breakthrough, scientists from McGill University have identified nine biological markers in blood that could help detect depression in teenagers. These markers, a type of molecule called microRNAs, were found to be significantly higher in adolescents diagnosed with depression compared to healthy individuals.

The findings, published recently, offer hope for a simple blood-based screening test that could catch depression early, before symptoms become severe and harder to treat. The study was led by Dr Cecilia Flores, James McGill Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, and involved 62 teenagers — 34 with diagnosed depression and 28 without.

“These microRNAs are elevated only in depressed teens, not adults, which suggests that the biology of depression is different in adolescents,” said Dr Flores, who is also affiliated with the Douglas Research Centre and the Ludmer Centre.

This discovery could pave the way for personalised treatment plans for teenagers, who often show different symptoms of depression than adults and are less likely to be diagnosed early. The blood samples were collected through a simple finger prick and stored on dried blood spots — a method that is minimally invasive and easy to use in clinics and schools.

“Most depression diagnosis in teens relies on what they say about their feelings. But many don’t realise they’re depressed or feel uncomfortable asking for help,” explained Dr Alice Morgunova, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral fellow at McGill. “Our method is easy, affordable, and could be used anywhere to flag mental health issues early.”

The research was conducted in collaboration with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Stanford University, and was funded by respected organisations including the Douglas Foundation, Bombardier Fund, CIHR, NSERC, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Researchers now plan to validate their findings with a larger group of adolescents and explore how these microRNAs interact with other genetic and environmental risks for depression.