Is There a Blood Test for Depression?

Although promising research has been done into potential markers for depression, there is not yet a blood test which can be used to definitively identify individuals who are suffering from depression. Instead, your doctor uses your reported symptoms, the signs he observes during your office visit, your medical history and your family's medical history to make his diagnosis.

When you first visit your physician, however, you may be given certain blood tests to rule out medical illnesses which may either cause depression or have similar symptoms.

The following are some routine blood tests that you might be given, along with the conditions that they can detect...read more