title: [Biomarkers of depression].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The delay in the actions of antidepressants as well as the percentage of patients that do not respond to antidepressant treatment, give rise to a keen interest in the development of biomarkers of therapeutic efficacy in depression, but it is also of importance to work towards the development of biomarkers of vulnerability, diagnosis and prognosis of this disorder.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze what is known of the main genetic, molecular and biochemical biomarkers of depression already validated, and to discuss the present and future of this research field.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among the most repeatedly validated biomarkers of depression are the decrease in serotonin transporter binding in platelets and lymphocytes, hypercortisolemia, hypocholesteremia, decrease in brain-derived neurotrophic factor, decrease in CREB phosphorylation, and an increase in interleukin 6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some biomarkers related to the pharmacogenetics of antidepressants are already a reality, now the next step will be to develop biomarkers of pathophysiological processes that correlate with important clinical aspects of depression.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular. Grupo de Investigación BIOFARMA, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, España. hectorjuan.caruncho@usc.es
authors.forename: Héctor J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Caruncho
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rivera-Baltanás
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014815:Vitamins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D007378:Interleukins; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D014815:Vitamins; D002784:Cholesterol; D006854:Hydrocortisone