Scientists say blood tests could help diagnose PTSD
October 10, 2017
A simple blood test could soon be used to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to new research. PTSD is currently only diagnosed through symptoms that people report themselves. However, diagnosis can be difficult as veterans and others who have the condition are often reluctant to discuss it.
Researchers at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands studied genetic changes in service members who suffered trauma after serving in Afghanistan. When they analyzed their blood samples, the scientists detected different levels of molecules called microRNAs (mRNAs) among individuals who developed PTSD compared with service members who were trauma-exposed and without PTSD.
While DNA provides the genetic code for the body to function, mRNA regulates gene expression and how active those genes are. The study’s findings suggest that mRNAs could serve as biomarkers to identify people who are at high risk of developing PTSD. Since mRNAs move throughout the body and can be found in blood, a blood test could detect irregularities.
“These preliminary results of our pilot study suggest that mRNAs might indeed be candidates as predictive blood markers to distinguish between persons at high and low risk of developing PTSD,” said lead study author Dr. Laurence de Nijs. He added, “However, several steps need to be performed before such results can really have an impact on the larger field and in clinical practice.”