Mental Health Disorder Diagnosis May Soon Be a Blood Test Away

Screening for panic disorders, potential substance abuse problems and other mental health conditions may soon be possible via a simple blood test.

Analyzing genetic data in immature white blood cells from subjects with and without panic disorders, University of Iowa researchers found distinctions in genetic expression between the groups, showing the disorder to be diagnosable by blood rather than psychological analysis.

"Panic disorder will no longer be a purely descriptive diagnosis, but, as with cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome and other conditions, a diagnosis based on genetic information," said lead author Robert Philibert, M.D., Ph.D.

A panic disorder blood test for commercial use is now in the works, the university reported in a press release.

The report, published online March 6 in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, also shows the potential of blood tests to identify individuals prone to antisocial personality disorder and predisposed to nicotine or marijuana dependency. Meanwhile, the U.S. Army is already using blood tests to screen for stressed recruits prone to psychological disorders.

While researchers say they hope such information will be used towards prevention, one can't help but imagine the looks on the faces of actuaries and HR folks nationwide should access to such simple genetic testing make its way to insurance companies...

Read more: Blood tests may be possible for mental health conditions
ABSTRACT: Transcriptional profiling of subjects from the Iowa adoption studies