New study identifies biomarker for major depression

Research has highlighted a new biomarker that could be used to identify teenage boys who are at elevated risk of suffering from major depression.

According to the Wellcome Trust-funded research, teenage boys who show a combination of depressive symptoms and elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol are up to 14 times more likely to develop major depression than those who show neither trait.

This represents the first biological marker for clinical depression and could help identify boys at greatest risk of developing the illness, making it easier to provide treatment at an earlier stage.

To reach this conclusion, University of Cambridge scientists measured levels of cortisol in saliva from two separate large cohorts of teenagers. It was found that this biomarker method was particularly effective among males.

Dr Matthew Owens from the University of Cambridge said: "This new biomarker suggests that we may be able to offer a more personalised approach to tackling boys at risk for depression."

Depression is a common ailment, affecting about one in ten people in the UK at some point in their lives.