Can Anxiety Be Detected in a Blood Test?

Introduction

Feeling scared from time to time is a normal part of life. Many people worry about health, money, family issues, etc. But anxiety disorders are more than just worry and fear. The anxiety does not go away for people with anxiety disorders and can worsen over time. Symptoms can affect daily activities like performance in studies, work, and relationships. Various types of anxiety disorders include generalized panic disorder, anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and various phobia-related disorders.

Anxiety is associated with the anticipation of future problems and is more associated with muscle tension and avoidance behavior. Fear, the emotional response to an imminent threat, is associated with the fight-or-flight response (either staying to fight or leaving to escape danger). Anxiety disorders may cause people to avoid situations that cause or exacerbate symptoms. It can affect work performance, academic performance, and relationships. In general, to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, the fear or fear must:

• Disproportionate to the situation or age.

• Impair the ability to function normally.

There are many different types of anxiety disorders.

• Generalized anxiety disorder.

• Panic disorder with or without phobias, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and selective mutism.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety?

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is usually a persistent feeling of anxiety or fear that can interfere with daily life. It's different than sometimes worrying or fearing because of stressful life events. People living with GAD often experience anxiety for months, if not years. Symptoms of GAD include:

• Restless, agitated, or tense.

• Get tired easily.

• Difficulty concentrating.

• Irritable.

• Headache, muscle aches, abdominal pain, or unexplained pain.

• Difficulty controlling anxiety.

• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

How Is Anxiety Detected in a Blood Test?

A new blood test promises early detection of anxiety disorders and is a blow to the conventional system of simply asking patients and observing their behavior to make a diagnosis. The blood tests involve measuring specific biomarkers that can predict future anxiety disorders or could detect if a person has ongoing anxiety issues.

• Genetic Testing - The new ‘BioM-95’ test is based on 95 genetic markers identified in extensive studies looking at both patients and their body’s ribonucleic acid (RNA), which can be altered by stress and mental illness. The possibilities for a quick blood test are very good. A 2005 study highlighted one of the great flaws in psychiatry. It often takes years for people with mental illness to get treatment. The study found particularly long delays of 9 to 23 years for anxiety disorders.

• Acetylcholine Levels - Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Studies over the years have shown that ACh levels within synapses increase when the body experiences stress (for example, when a child jumps in front of a car). To bring the body back to normal ACh levels, a special enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is activated that breaks down ACh. Although ACh and AChE levels usually drop when the source of stress is removed, people suffering from anxiety disorders continue to maintain high ACh and AChE levels.

• Serotonin - It is a blood test that measures the level of serotonin in the blood, also known as the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) test. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter present in the brain that is responsible for transmitting messages between nerve cells and also plays a role in the wake and sleep cycles. Serotonin usually is present in small amounts in the blood. Serotonin is an important hormone and neurotransmitter. It plays a major role in many bodily functions, such as sleep, appetite, mood, and thinking, but deficiency symptoms can be challenging to spot. Research indicates that serotonin levels below 100 µg/L may be associated with anxiety disorder. One out of two studies found that increased serotonin levels correlated with a reduced risk of suicide. Psychopathology is related to the development of physical and chronic diseases, as scientific evidence confirms the need to consider the psychological symptoms caused by medical illnesses and the symptoms caused by the role of psychological domains and phenomena. It's getting more and more attention.

• Brain - Derived Serum Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a main molecule that is involved in irreversible changes related to learning and memory. BDNF expression is tightly regulated, and large variations in her BDNF levels in healthy subjects can occur. Changes in BDNF expression are associated with both normal and pathological aging, as well as psychiatric disorders, particularly structures important for memory processes, such as the hippocampus and parahippocampal regions.

• Cortisol - This test measures the level of cortisol in the blood, urine, or saliva to determine whether the levels are normal. Cortisol is a hormone affecting almost all organs and tissue present in the body. It helps the body respond to stress; hence cortisol is sometimes called the stress hormone.

• MicroRNA - Serum-free or vesicle-loaded microRNAs have been featured in many research papers demonstrating critical roles in intercellular communication, both in systemic and brain structure, neural morphogenesis, activity, and plasticity. Upregulated or downregulated expression of these signaling molecules may be involved in the pathogenesis of MDD (neuroinflammation, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotransmitters, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), oxidative stress). It may impair genes involved in signaling pathways involved in circadian rhythms. In addition, these microRNAs may serve as potential biomarkers with diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive value, enabling disease severity classification and clinical management decisions.

Conclusion

According to preliminary research, a new blood test for anxiety could help doctors diagnose patients and find effective treatments. However, some experts believe this needs to be independently confirmed by further research. Anxiety blood tests do not diagnose the disease, and it is unclear whether prescribing medications based on it is more effective than current approaches, and further research is needed to clarify that. Prevention is better in the long run, so the goal is to provide patients and their physicians with a comprehensive report using just one blood tube.