A Novel Blood Test as a Differential Diagnosis and Drug Efficacy Biomarker in Mental Health

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether a new blood biomarker can help identify depression and schizophrenia in patients attending psychiatric clinics. The study aims to see if changes in this biomarker can distinguish depressed patients who respond to treatment from those who do not, and differentiate individuals having a first psychotic episode from those at risk of developing schizophrenia. This observational study involves up to 500 participants grouped by diagnosis into Depression (DEP) and Psychosis/Schizophrenia (PSY) arms. Participants will attend three study visits over six months, during which blood samples and standard mental health assessments will be collected. These visits will help researchers analyze the relationship between the biomarker characteristics and the mental health conditions. The study does not involve any treatments but focuses on monitoring and measuring the biomarker and clinical factors over time. During the study, participants will complete standardized mental health questionnaires at each visit, and researchers will collect blood samples to study the biomarker changes. The main outcomes measured include the relationship between depression or psychotic disorders and biomarker characteristics over the six-month period. Researchers will also explore how clinical and demographic factors relate to these biomarker changes. The total participation time spans about six months with three scheduled visits.

A Novel Blood Test as a Biomarker in Mental Health