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Every once in a while the initial results from one study can be exciting, even if we need to go through years of research ahead to validate the findings. For instance, imagine if we could diagnose Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) using a simple blood test? What if you could see if your patient’s condition was improving or not? And, if this was for real, could it lead to even more detailed diagnoses of MDD and other mental health disorders?

Just to give you reason to read further, but not to bore you with details here, a study found dramatic differences in readings of 9 RNA markers among participants. They appear to distinguish between those diagnosed with MDD and those with no diagnosis. So we aren’t dealing with pure fantasy here. We’re just getting ahead of the research a bit.

Let’s take off our respective hats as scientists and health care providers for just a short period of time, and imagine how great it would be. Using a solid tracking device, we could improve the accuracy of initial diagnoses, adjust treatment for individuals who aren’t showing improvement, verify when we suspect a false diagnosis, and much more. It’s fun to just think about it, right?

You could order tests for new clients and choose to see them before or after the results come in. Knowing the severity of the case on the first or second session, with biological validation, would mean a more pinpointed treatment plan and speedier healing. Just imagine how quickly the mild cases could find a better life, and severe cases would be met with more effective therapy from the start of treatment.

Even with this tool, it’s likely that some patients will still need to try different medications to see positive results. Medications that work for some patients might not work as well for others, and sometimes one works only slightly better. Imagine being able to look at blood test results for concrete biological changes that indicate how well a medication is working. You could more quickly and accurately make adjustments to dosages or prescribe a different medication.

Sometimes patients claim to be suffering from depression, but their problem is something else. Treating for depression may be helpful in these cases, but it can delay getting to the real issue that needs to be addressed. If blood test results came up negative for depression, that problem could be eliminated and you could help the patient to discover the real issue.

Validation of the results from an initial health study can take years, and putting it to use could extend that time even longer. So we need to come back to the real world and realize that this method of mental health disorder diagnosis may never be a reality. We’ll just need to do without, if so, which isn’t so bad considering how far we’ve come in diagnosing and treating mental health disorders.

Then again, the real world has a habit of delivering great advancements through unsuccessful research. It’s what makes real science great. The hypothesis doesn’t pan out, “but wait. What’s this?” And then they’re trying to prove an entirely different one. So there’s no reason to feel disappointment because science has already advanced.

The study that prompted this article backed up the findings with some pretty strong data, though. So there’s justification for guarded optimism. It’s good to take that to the next level at times and think about the potential benefits. Think of the good that might come of it, and don’t be sad if things don’t work out. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this little journey down daydream lane.