Medical Device, Using Circadian Heart Rate Patterns to Diagnose Depression and Anxiety, Is Available for Research and Development
Originally invented by a psychiatrist, the device has undergone trials over five years extending to 800 patients that clearly indicated a relationship between the circadian cardiac physiology and the mental status of the patient. Results that indicated reliability of diagnosing depression and distinguishing between depression and anxiety have been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Research has demonstrated that atypical circadian heart rate patterns co-occur with psychiatric illness suggesting a patho-physiological process. Heart rate patterns (taken during sleep) from patients with known psychiatric disorders are different than the normal signature pattern found in individuals who are free of psychiatric illness. Moreover, distinct heart rate patterns were presented for several diagnoses including depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia.
Heartlink now seeks partners to further evaluate the validity of its analysis against standard psychiatric assessment procedures and/or joint ventures with other developing technologies that may lead to objective analysis superior to the current gold standard subjective questionnaires. Monitoring and download devices have been developed and are readily available to support research and development activities.
About Heartlink Limited
The company was incorporated in January 2000. It was established for the purpose of developing a testing procedure based on the discovery by a psychiatrist that circadian heartbeat patterns are influenced by the mental state of the individual. The company has funded clinical research and product development and now has a second-generation medical device that can be used for medical research applications that could lead to commercialisation.
Contact
Ms. Tracey-Anne Dickens
Chief Executive Officer, Heartlink Limited
+ 61 8 9389 9021
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This news is a press release provided by Heartlink Limited.