Soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder could be diagnosed through a simple blood test, according to new research.
Veterans affected by PTSD after experiencing combat are left with markers in their blood, which researchers now say they can detect.
A controlled study, involving military personnel deployed to a combat zone in Afghanistan, provided evidence for the role of blood-based biomarkers for symptoms of PTSD.
Scientists now believe this approach could lead to screening for symptoms of PTSD, and holds promise for understanding other trauma-related psychiatric disorders.
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder which can manifest following exposure to a traumatic event, such as combat, assault or natural disaster.
The research group worked with just over 1,000 Dutch soldiers and the Dutch Ministry of Defence to study changes in biology in relation to changes in presentations of symptoms of PTSD in soldiers who were deployed to combat zone in Afghanistan.
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