Nobody in the media/blogosphere seems to actually listen to Niculescu. The biomarkers do not correlate with DSM diagnostic categories, but with mood states. E.g., you get a correlation (around 0.6) with HDRS, which is a subjective estimate for depression, albeit with decent interrater reliability.

Since you can measure mania too, you could distinguish, in theory, between BP I and II if you measure the intensity of mania. But that won't tell you if the patient was more manic in the past.

If these biomarkers prove reliable, they may be the swan song for the DSM. You can bet that some
uberbiopshychiatrists will start arguing that only
symptoms have definite biologic etiology, so most DSM categories are bunk. Which is not very far from how treatment is approached today anyhow.

You're bothered that Niculescu is relying on pharma grants. No sh*t. I don't see anything unethical about paying to get an objective measure for what their drugs are trying to improve, i.e. mood states.

As for the "envy" and ethics, please chill. You seem to fear that these tests might actually become practical and people get discriminated. Do you think that it's better the way things are today, i.e. you get a DSM label which sticks forever on your "psych history"?

Larry, The idea of blood levels measuring mood states is problematic. Would some levels be illegal? Would someone who once was measured by a blood monitor to be manic once always have to take drugs? What if the blood test results came in after the person was in a car accident? Normal human response?

What about depressed? Is there a blood level difference between manic and say agitated because you are foricibly having blood taken to determine if you are "manic?" If you were in a good mood and then the doctor orders blood drawn to see if you'll be allowed to stop taking those antidepressants that you hate and can't afford, does that depress you and thus change the results of your blood test? If you experience a financial disaster and blood test depressed, is that a medical disease or a normal human response?

Apparently all this test will do is show whether or not people have moods. We already know the answer to that question. And are still in disagreement about the question which is, are moods part of what it means to be human or a medical disease?

This world is insane. You know the childrens song "if you are happy and you know it, clap your hands"
"if you are angry and you know it, stamp your feet"?
LINK
IT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO ALL HAPPY.
"if you are happy and you know it, stamp your feet"

http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/i007.html
http://pbskids.org/barney/children/music/happyand.html

Emotions, thoughts, and feelings that occur in the brain are not diseases and will never be diseases.

Lab tests are to find a pathology to a disease.
The human mind is nonphysical, but can be influenced by neurochemistry.
The psychiatrist is the judge and jury on diseased minds, not a court/panel of your peers.
People can't seem to grasp the mental part of "mental illness".
If it becomes physical, it is no longer mental illness, but a neurological illness that neurologists will treat.

I've never seen or heard a medical professional call bipolar disorder a disease.

if there is an argument to find an objective way of determining a 'patients' symptoms severity because, "patients sometimes aren't sure how ill they are. As a practicing psychiatrist, I face that dilemma often, so having an objective test for disease severity would be a big step forward" what about psychometric pencil & paper tests where respondents indicate their experience of an array of symptoms? Their responses are then compared to a standardised sample to indicate whether their symptom level is mild, moderate, severe or very severe (for example). wouldn't that help?

nb: I love the above 'if you're happy & you know it clap your hands' comment. Human beings are meant to experience negative emotions sometimes for godsake this shit makes me feel angry!

oh yeah & Phil I'm so glad to hear that your fundraiser surpassed its target. I've really appreciated the posts you've put up over the last week

:)