As per a research that appeared in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, it has been revealed that a group of US researchers have found a novel way to detect depression. They have developed a blood test, which they say would become one of the leading ways to diagnose depression among people.

The test is named as MDDScore and was being developed by a company called Ridge Diagnostics. The company officials told that their tool assesses nine indicators on the basis of which it is decided that a person is developing symptoms of depression or not.

A few of the indicators included in MDDScore are hormones, growth factors, enzymes and certain protein. In order to check the efficacy of the tool, the researchers enrolled 70 people who were having depression and 43 people who were perfectly normal.

Comparative analysis among the two groups revealed that the test was able to correctly identify depression about 91% of the time. The company officials told that they are working to make the tool to be perfect. They do not want to have 9% gap when the tool finally goes out in the market.

It is very important to find an effective way to diagnose depression among Americans as one in a group of 10 suffers from depression. Ridge Diagnostics officials also told that the tool would be accompanied by other tools as well so if some percent error remains then also it would give accurate findings.

The MDDScore would be available for $745, but if the diagnostic kit is being covered in insurance then they would have to pay $90 for it. Health experts said, “This is a very nice step in that direction, but there’s a heck of a lot more work to be done before this is used as a clinical test for major depression”.