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Researchers have discovered a potential new biomarker for diagnosing psychosis
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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The current standard for diagnosing psychosis is based on a clinical interview, but what if the diagnosis could be made before symptoms first appear? Researchers at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester point to a potential brain biomarker that could lead to earlier interventions and personalized treatment.
"Identifying such biomarkers could be a key step in changing the way we care for, treat, and prevent patients with psychosis," said Brian Keene, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and the Center for Imaging and Neuroscience at Rochester Medical Center.
Keane recently co-authored a paper published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry that describes how MRI scans can reveal differences in the brains of people with psychosis.
"In addition to potentially predicting the onset of psychosis, biomarkers may also help to stratify patients into clinically relevant subgroups and suggest new treatment options or interventions," Keane added.
Research of brain structure
In a study conducted by the Human Connectome Early Psychosis Project, researchers examined MRI scans of 159 participants, 105 of whom had developed a psychotic disorder in the past five years. They found that in those with psychosis, the sensory cortex areas were less connected to each other but more connected to the thalamus, the brain's "relay station" responsible for transmitting information.
These changes were limited to two brain networks:
- The somatomotor network processes body movements and sensations.
- A visual network that creates representations of objects, faces, and complex visual features.
Combining patterns of disrupted connectivity in these networks allowed the researchers to create what they call a "somatovisual" biomarker.
What makes this biomarker unique?
It has been previously suggested that people with schizophrenia have abnormal connectivity in the brain's sensory networks. However, it has remained unclear which networks are most important or whether the dysfunction can be explained by other factors, such as antipsychotic use, anxiety or stress.
"This biomarker is unique due to the following features:
- Great impact effect.
- Robust against more than a dozen common factors that could confound the results.
- High reliability for repeated scans."
According to Keane, "a five-minute scan could significantly improve the accuracy of predicting which people at high risk will develop psychosis. This, in turn, could allow for more timely treatment or intervention."
Next steps
Keane stressed that it is important to determine whether the somatovisual biomarker occurs before or at the onset of psychosis. This will help to better understand when interventions can be introduced, which is especially important to prevent deterioration in patients at risk.
Conclusion: This study opens up new perspectives in the early diagnosis of psychosis, which may significantly improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients.