Poor Physical Health Scores may be a More Accurate Indicator of Mental Illness than Brain Scans, Says Study

Australian explorers assumedthat poor physical health scores may be a more accurate indicator of mental illness than changes found on brain scans.

Scientists analyzed more than 175,000 people. They examined a dataset of brain health and function of seven body systems, including the immune system, liver, heart, lungs and kidneys.

It turned out that people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorder can be distinguished from the rest of the people with “moderate accuracy” only on the basis of the state of the body’s health.

Scientists attribute this effect to the side effects of medications, chronic stress and an increase in infections that people with chronic mental illness suffer from.