A new method of detecting anxious and non-anxious depression using brain signal processing has been developed by biomedical engineers. The study results were shown to be roughly 91% accurate when patients had their brain activity monitored with their eyes closed.
Hesam Shakouh Alaei, lead author of the study from the University of Surrey, said: “Patients with anxious depression often have more severe symptoms and side effects with a higher resistance to treatment than patients with non-anxious depression. This is why it is critical to distinguish these two cohorts from each other. The hope is that these insights will help health professionals recognise anxious and non-anxious depression, and to treat accordingly.”
Anxious depression is when someone exhibits a combination of severe symptoms of both depression and anxiety. It is critically important to diagnose and treat anxious depression quickly to mitigate the negative impact of the condition.
