Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common disease that causes serious social impairments. However, a concordance rate of diagnosis for MDD on the basis of clinical symptoms is not high. To establish reliable diagnostic markers for MDD, which would contribute to early diagnosis and early treatment, is necessary. Although a number of studies have been conducted to identify biological markers for MDD, there are no objective clinical blood diagnostic markers for MDD at this point. We performed DNA methylation and gene expression profiling using blood to develop biological diagnostic tests for MDD, and we could differentiate patients with MDD from controls with good accuracy. Further efforts will be needed for clinical applications of these biological markers.
