Researchers develop blood tests for detecting anxiety

In a recent study, researchers have developed a new blood test to detect anxiety and help physicians understand the anxiety levels of a patient to provide better treatment.

Hyderabad: Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine successfully developed a blood test for anxiety. This test examines biomarkers, which help physicians in objectively determining a person's risk for developing anxiety, the severity of their current anxiety, and therapies that would best treat their anxiety.

The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal, Molecular Psychiatry, and for the tests to be used on a large scale by physicians, they are currently being developed by Indianapolis-based startup MindX Sciences, which was founded on science developed at the IU School of Medicine.

According to Alexander Niculescu, professor of psychiatry, MD, Ph.D., many people suffer from anxiety, which can be very disabling and interfere with daily life. “The current approach is to talk to people about how they feel to see if they could be on medications, but some medications can be addictive and create more problems", added Niculescu. They wanted to see if the approach to identifying blood biomarkers can help match people to existing medications that will work better and be a non-addictive choice.

In the past, Niculescu’s research has led to the development of blood tests for pain, depression/bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The latest study uses similar methods for anxiety. It includes three independent cohorts: discovery, validation, and testing. Participants take a blood test every three to six months or whenever a new psychiatric hospitalization occurs. After examining the RNA biomarkers in participants' blood, researchers could identify their current state of anxiety and match them with medications or nutraceuticals, displaying how effective different options, based on their biology, could be for them.

According to Niculecu, there are other ways to treat anxiety apart from medication, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, lifestyle changes, etc. But having something as concrete as this, where physicians know what someone's current condition is and their future risks as well as the treatment options matching their profiles is very powerful in helping people in the long run. Even though a person's biomarkers can change over time, the test helps in evaluating the risk of developing higher levels of anxiety in the future and how various factors impact anxiety, like hormonal changes, in a person.

Improper diagnosis of anxiety can lead to panic attacks in people, which can be misunderstood as heart attacks, and land them in the ER due to the physical symptoms. If their condition is detected earlier, then this pain and suffering can be avoided easily with treatment that matches their profile.

This new test can also be used with other blood tests from Niculescu's research, providing a detailed view of the patient's mental health and their future risks for mental health concerns. The tests can also be used to develop new treatments for anxiety, targeting individual biomarkers.

This test can be included as a part of the patient's regular wellness visit, to evaluate their current mental health and prevent any future distress. According to Niculecu, their goal is to provide an effective report for the patient and their physicians with just a tube of blood and prevent mental health issues for them in the longer run.