A Quebec company, which has been working for several years to develop a tool to diagnose certain mental illnesses using the retina of the eye, has just obtained “very encouraging” preliminary results as part of its clinical study, carried out in Canada and the United States.
The clinical work of the company diaMentis, overseen by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ultimately aims to diagnose schizophrenia and bipolarity.
The technology developed by the company is based on the “signature” of “signals” sent by the retina, when stimulated using an electroretinogram.
The first results, obtained a few days ago, demonstrate that the “biomarkers” from the retina and allowing the diagnosis of these two pathologies agree with the results obtained from 150 patients, some of whom suffer from these diseases, from Canada and the United States.
Never seen
“It’s an innovation […]it does not exist, there is no precedent,” says the president of the company founded in Quebec, Normand Tremblay.
Mr. Tremblay also emphasizes that electroretinogram tests are without risk for the patient.
The president of the diaMentis company, Normand Tremblay, believes that the innovative concept developed by his company will allow the diagnosis of several mental health pathologies, including schizophrenia, bipolarity and major depression. According to him, their diagnostic tool should be available at the end of the clinical study, within two years.
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
First diagnostic tool
According to the medical director of diaMentis and psychiatrist, Marc Guérin, it is the first and only diagnostic tool in the field of mental health.
“Our tool will give an indication to the doctor, for example, that this patient has a 90% chance of being schizophrenic. […] “, explains Dr. Guérin, emphasizing that nearly 30% of the Canadian population struggles with mental health problems.
The psychiatrist and medical director at diaMentis, Marc Guérin, believes that their tool allowing the diagnosis of certain mental illnesses using signals from the retina of the eye, completely changes the world of mental health medicine.
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
“The problem is that currently we have to rely solely on questionnaires and observations [pour poser un diagnostic]. Sometimes it takes years before the clinical picture is really clear […] So, the patient tries several medications, and over time, may lose confidence,” he explains.
Other diseases
diaMentis researchers were also able to identify “biomarkers” specific to other pathologies, such as major depression, autism, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
However, other clinical studies will have to be carried out to approve this diagnostic tool, mentions the president, Normand Tremblay.
According to Dr. Guérin, the diagnostic tool will ultimately allow the early treatment of several mental illnesses.
“We will be able to treat with smaller doses, since the symptoms will still be at the beginning, thus avoiding psychosis in some cases, which causes irreversible damage to brain matter,” he says.
The work of the diaMentis company
Research project estimated at a total of $60M
To complete its work diaMentis needs US$17M
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called their work a “major scientific breakthrough.”
400 patients will be part of the ongoing clinical study
The company wants to make its diagnostic tool available within two years