Abstract
Mood disorders are not only central but also systemic disorders involving abnormalities with autonomic nervous, neuroendocrine and neuroimmune systems. Over the past decades a number of investigators have studied to find
convenient and reliable blood- based biomarkers. Although changes in peripheral blood are not identical to changes in the
CNS, they are known to reflect central changes. Dexamethasone suppression test and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels are the most established biomarkers, but not sensitive enough to be clinically useful diagnostic makers.
Recent advances in genomic, genetic, epigenetic and proteomic technologies have opened a new way for biomarker study of psychiatric diseases. These new technologies enable us to measure multiple variables from a small amount of blood sample. Studies with these technologies have revealed that mood disorders show specific changes in the gene and protein expression. It has been shown that mood stabilizers and antidepressants induce multiple gene expressional changes in the peripheral leukocytes or lymphoblastoid cells. The symposium aimed to review the recent progress of blood - based biomarkers for the diagnosis and drug response for mood disorders. The four speakers from USA, Israel and Japan introduced their recent works and then had a general discussion. The symposium provided the audience a cutting edge knowledge and broad perspective in this interesting and promising field.
