Researchers have discovered that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) creates distinct patterns across four biomarkers that can be evaluated by a blood test. This could help identify sufferers in a timely manner so they can receive early treatment or even prevent the condition from developing in the first place. Triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event, PTSD can cause intense fear, flashbacks, anxiety, and nightmares.

According to Study Finds,  the recent study analyzed four biomarkers in blood samples taken from more than 1,000 military personnel. The samples were drawn from active-duty service members before a 10-month deployment, three days post deployment, and three to six months post deployment. These biomarkers, previously linked to stress, depression, anxiety, and metal health disorders, included the glycolytic ratio, arginine, serotonin, and glutamate.

The study authors divided their subjects into four groups, based on PTSD measures and mental resilience, and compared the four biomarkers across the groups. The categories for the groups included persons with PTSD, sub-threshold PTSD, or no PTSD based on their clinical diagnosis and symptoms. Researchers classified the participants’ resilience based on factors such as PTSD, anxiety, sleep quality, alcohol use disorders, combat exposures, traumatic brain injury, and general physical and mental health.

The results revealed that those with PTSD or sub-threshold PTSD had a significantly higher glycolytic ratio and lower arginine than those with high resilience. People with PTSD also had lower serotonin levels and higher glutamate than people with more resilience and no PTSD. These associations were independent of factors like gender, age, body mass index, smoking and caffeine consumption, says Study Finds.

“The study offers valuable insights into the natural progression of PTSD and the effectiveness of interventions, which can inform treatment guidelines and improve care for those suffering from PTSD,” said Stacy-Ann Miller, a researcher at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, in a press release. “Better methods of predicting or screening for PTSD could help to overcome the disorder by identifying individuals at high risk of developing PTSD and providing them with early intervention or prevention strategies. This could potentially reduce the severity of symptoms or prevent the disorder from developing altogether.”