A simple blood test may soon be on the anvil to detect people with depression and those vulnerable to suicidal ideation, according to a study that identified blood biomarkers linked to suicidal thoughts. While many people with depression experience improvement with psychotherapy and medication, some people’s depression is treatment-refractory, meaning treatment has little to no impact.

Suicidal thoughts are experienced by the majority of patients with treatment-refractory depression, and as many as 30 per cent will attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime. Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine revealed a connection between cellular metabolism and depression.