Wouldn't it be nice to be able to diagnose psychiatric disorders, such as unipolar or bipolar depression, by looking at an MRI scan just like you would a bone fracture or a muscle tear? Unfortunately, at present there are no radiological tools available to help us with such diagnoses.
The Family Center for Bipolar team, in collaboration with an imaging team from Columbia University, conducted an fMRI imaging study which allows to correctly diagnose unipolar from bipolar depression in 25 out 28 young women. This is 90% accuracy!
Depression was diagnosed by the brain activity when women were looking at their mother's face compared to those of a stranger and a female friend.
The Family Center for Bipolar team, in collaboration with an imaging team from Columbia University, conducted an fMRI imaging study which allows to correctly diagnose unipolar from bipolar depression in 25 out 28 young women. This is 90% accuracy!
Depression was diagnosed by the brain activity when women were looking at their mother's face compared to those of a stranger and a female friend.
When people get depressed, the glass always seems half-full and the whole world seems dark. It seems that this effect is very pronounced when you look at your mother.
The report is very complicated and technical -- for those interested in technical details you can read the original paper here. However, there is a much simpler article about our report in the Wired Science Blog on-line magazine that you can read here.
The report is very complicated and technical -- for those interested in technical details you can read the original paper here. However, there is a much simpler article about our report in the Wired Science Blog on-line magazine that you can read here.
Enjoy!
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