Biomarkers for the diagnosis of depression: Recent updates

Depression, or major depressive disorder, is a mental illness that significantly affects psychosocial functioning and reduces the quality of one’s life. The annual incidence of depression throughout the globe is around 6%. The disorder should be diagnosed at a particular stage for the treatment to be designed. Biomarkers can help to do so with objective pieces of evidence. Various biomarkers like Imaging biomarkers, Molecular biomarkers, Transcriptomic biomarkers, Genetic biomarkers, Neuroendocrine, and Inflammatory biomarkers can be used to diagnose depression. The use of digital sensors has also been reported recently for the determination of depression. This review summarizes various biomarkers to diagnose depression. Further recent updates and related clinical trials are included.