In January  2012 the American Journal of Psychiatry published an editorial by Dan Blazer, M.D., PhD.  The title of the editorial was Religion/Spirituality and Depression: What Can We Learn from Empirical Studies?  

For those of you who don’t know, an empirical study is research that collects data by means of observation or experiment.  It is NOT opinion and researchers do not draw firm conclusions from any result.

I thought you might be interested in what Blazer has to say.

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Here is something I came across yesterday that I thought should go on this blog. 

A team of scientists have found nine biomarkers that accurately distinguish patients diagnosed with depression  vs not.   The sample size was small and this will be studied more.  

The very idea of a future blood test for the presence of depression is exciting since it is one more piece of evidence that depression is manifested biologically.  It also means there could eventually be more accurate individualized treatment.  However, it would not mean that the only treatment would be biological, aka medicine.  As with all illnesses, we need to do our part to help our biology along through life-style changes and seeking psychological and spiritual support.  After all, these things affect biology.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201120930.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fmind_brain%2Fdepression+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Mind+%26+Brain+News+—+Depression%29