Phosphoethanolamine Biomarker for Depression Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
The diagnosis of depression is challenging due to subjective nature and the lack of objective biomarkers, leading to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, as existing methods are not effectively brought into practice use.
Innovation Solution
Phosphoethanolamine is identified and utilized as a biomarker for diagnosing depression, along with a method involving blood sample analysis using techniques like capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOFMS) to measure its concentration, enabling accurate differentiation between depressed and healthy individuals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If depression diagnosis is based on physician or psychologist impression, then diagnostic process is simple, but diagnostic accuracy deteriorates due to subjective nature and potential misreporting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/subjective diagnostic system (physician impression, patient self-report) with a biochemical measurement system. By measuring phosphoethanolamine levels in blood samples using analytical chemistry methods, the diagnosis transitions from subjective evaluation to objective quantification, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy while maintaining practical applicability.
2Measurement precision
If objective biomarker methods are developed, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex measurement procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent measures phosphoethanolamine levels in blood samples as a surrogate marker that reflects brain phospholipid metabolism changes. This copying approach allows indirect assessment of central nervous system pathology through peripheral blood analysis, maintaining diagnostic objectivity while simplifying the measurement process compared to direct brain imaging or biopsy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides a reliable and objective means for diagnosing depression, improving diagnostic accuracy and enabling the assessment of treatment efficacy by quantifying phosphoethanolamine levels in blood samples, thereby reducing misdiagnosis and enhancing psychiatric evaluation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOFMS)
Implementation Method 2
capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOFMS)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides biomarkers for diagnosing depression. Specifically, using one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of ADP-RIBOSE, ATP, ADP, AMP, serotonin, tryptophan, kynurenine, SDMA(symmetricdimethylarginine), threonine, glyceric acid, serine, N-acetylaspartic acid, glutamic acid, trigonelline, creatine, 2-methyl serine, sphingosine, homovanillic acid, piperidine, sulfoxidated methionine, pipecolic acid, sphinganine, γ-butyrobetaine, guanidoacetic acid, isobutyric acid, creatinine, sarcosine, 3-methyl butyric acid, nicotinamide, betaine, ornithine, carnitine, ethanolamine, phosphoethanolamine, taurine, hypotaurine, aspartic acid, methionine, tyrosine, phosphorylcholine, arginine, asparagine, 3-aminobutyric acid, β-alanine, phenylalanine, lysine, phosphocreatine, alanine, uric acid, choline, isocitric acid, leucine, malic acid, aminoadipic acid, tyramine, valine, glucaric acid, histidine, ADMA (asymmetric dimethylarginine), isoleucine, hydroxyproline and cystathionine as a biomarker for diagnosis, a content of the biomarker in a collected blood sample is measured to diagnose depression.