Blood test may predict risk of 'psychosis' in people

In a new study, scientists have shown that with help of a blood test, it could be foreseen which individuals were at risk of psychosis.

Led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the research represents an important step forward in the accurate diagnosis of people who are experiencing the earliest stages of psychosis.

Psychosis includes hallucinations or delusions that define the development of severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia.

The study reported preliminary results, which showed that a blood test, when used in psychiatric patients experiencing symptoms that are considered to be indicators of a high risk for psychosis, identified those who later went on to develop psychosis.

Diana O. Perkins, corresponding author of the study, explained that the blood test included a selection of 15 measures of immune and hormonal system imbalances as well as evidence of oxidative stress. While further research was required before the blood test could be clinically available, the results provided evidence regarding the fundamental nature of schizophrenia, and pointed towards novel pathways that could be targets for preventative interventions.

The study concluded that the multiplex blood assay, if independently replicated and if integrated with studies of other classes of biomarkers, had the potential to be of high value in the clinical setting.

The study is published in the journal Schizophrenia Bulletin.