Blood Test to Diagnose PTSD?
September 09, 2019
The Pentagon has funded a team of researchers from top medical schools to develop a blood test that would help diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in combat troops, including those members that may try to hide it. This team of researchers has pinpointed significant indicators at the molecular level a soldier’s body produces when coping with stress, due to exposure to battlefield trauma.
The blood test does not diagnose or eliminate the need for clinical examination, but it would flag potential problems. If a soldier does test positive, they will be sent to a clinician for an examination. This test can also be used for first responders and civilians who have experienced any form of trauma.
This study is still at the beginning stages, with fewer than 200 male combat veterans being used as the sample. Although this test is not perfect, researchers say 77% of the time, a positive blood test corresponds to