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Brain scans, blood samples could lead to customized depression treatment instead of 'trial and error' approach
July 23, 2013
Brain scans, blood samples, and other diagnostic tests could one day direct doctors to the best treatments for depression patients and uncover the biological basis of the condition.
When someone is diagnosed with depression, patient and doctor often begin a long trial-and-error of different treatments. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, so patients may try several options before finding the best one. But in the future, a brain scan, blood test, or some combination could help guide doctors to the best drugs, or lead them to suggest talk therapy.