Blood Testing Identifies Biomarkers Of Suicidal Thoughts -- University Of California - San Diego

In most cells, mitochondria (green) form complex tubular networks that help them distribute energy throughout the cell. Disruption of these mitochondrial networks is a hallmark of many human diseases. Credit: UC San Diego Health Sciences

University Of California - San Diego

Dec. 15, 2023

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found a connection between cellular metabolism and depression.

People with depression and suicidal ideation had detectable compounds in their blood that could help identify individuals at higher risk of becoming suicidal. The researchers also found sex-based differences in how depression impacts cell metabolism.

The findings, published in Translational Psychiatry, could help personalize mental health care and potentially identify new targets for future drugs.

Major depressive disorder affects 16.1 million adults in the United States and costs $210 billion annually. While the primary symptoms of depression are psychological, scientists and doctors have come to understand that depression is a complex disease with physical effects throughout the body.

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