Monday, June 09, 2008
How do you find out if a person has either high or low levels of serotonin that may cause depression? Is there a blood or urine test that detects chemical imbalances in your body?
Evidence from a wide range of studies indicates that serotonin may well play a role in the development or persistence of at least some forms of depression and, of course, most of the widely used antidepressants work primarily through serotonin pathways in the brain.
However, depression — like most other common illnesses – is not caused by one biological factor such as decreased serotonin, and it would not help guide your treatment one bit to have tests to determine the levels of serotonin or its metabolites in your blood or cerebrospinal fluid. Depression involves the interplay of a number of genetic and environmental factors. It may be that certain factors are pertinent for one person but irrelevant to another person.
If you would like to participate in a study about the causes or biology of depression, you might check on the Web site of the closest university medical center or the National Institute of Mental Health to see if any studies are ongoing.