Precision Psychiatry is Possible — Especially if We Use Evidence-based Neural Measures to Drive Better Mental Health Treatment and Outcomes
MedCity News October 14, 2024
By moving beyond subjective and heterogeneous criteria and embracing objective brain function measures, the field of psychiatry can achieve greater precision and efficacy in addressing complex disorders.
Depression, a common yet complex mental health issue, affects millions worldwide. Despite its prevalence and long clinical history, treating depression remains fraught with challenges. A diagnosis of depression relies on the interpretation of subjective reports by a trained clinician — and there are more than 200 ways that a person can have the right constellation of symptoms to be depressed. In fact, two depressed people can share a single self-reported symptom — like difficulty concentrating. This heterogeneity of depression means that symptoms and treatment responses can vary widely among individuals — and can...