A study published in The Journals of Gerontology suggests that biological aging could serve as a biological marker for depression, according to researchers.
The study examined the relationship between biological aging and mood, looking for a biomarker for depression in the blood. Researchers used a sample of women with and without HIV, as depression is more common among those with autoimmune conditions and HIV is a common secondary immunodeficiency disease.
The study included 440 women (261 with HIV and 179 without) who participated in the Women’s Interagency HIV Study. Their depression levels were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and blood tests measured the biological aging of white blood cells.
The blood samples focused on cells and tissues, particularly monocytes. The study authors noted that monocytes play a large role in HIV infection and are often elevated in people with depression.
The results found that monocyte aging was a biomarker for non-somatic depression symptoms such as hopelessness, loss of joy, and feelings of failure in both groups of women.
Study co-author Nicole Beaulieu Perez, Ph.D., said in a news release that this finding is interesting because people with HIV often have physical symptoms like fatigue that are attributed to their chronic illness rather than a depression diagnosis. She added that the study flips that assumption, finding that these measures are associated with mood and cognitive symptoms, not physical symptoms.
Depression is typically diagnosed based on self-reported symptoms, so identifying a potential biomarker is significant. Beaulieu Perez noted that depression is not a one-size-fits-all disorder and can look different from person to person, making it important to consider varied presentations rather than just a clinical label.
The study authors said more research is needed to understand the connection between biological aging and mood disorders. However, the findings show promise for future diagnostic and treatment options.
Beaulieu Perez mentioned the adage, “What gets measured gets managed,” and said an aspirational goal in mental health would be to combine subjective experience with objective biological testing.
The study points to a new way of understanding the connection between the body and mind. Beaulieu Perez said the findings bring researchers a step closer to precision mental health care, especially for high-risk populations, by providing a biological framework that could guide future diagnosis and treatment.
