title: The promise of biomarkers in diagnosing major depression in primary care: the present and future.
abstract: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder, but it can be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Most people with depression are seen in primary care settings, where there are limited resources to diagnose and treat the patient. There is a lack of clinically validated objective laboratory-based diagnostic tests to diagnose MDD; however, it is clear that these tests could greatly improve the correct and timely diagnosis. This review aims to give a cross-sectional view of current efforts of DNA methylomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic approaches to identify biomarkers. We outline our view of the biomarker developmental steps from discovery to clinical application. We then propose that better cooperation will lead us closer to the common goal of identifying biological biomarkers for major depression. "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." Albert Einstein.
authors.affiliation: The Asher Center for the Study and Treatment of Depressive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave 13-100, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA, e-redei@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Eva E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Redei
authors.forename: Neha S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D040901:Proteomics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005819:Genetic Markers