IIT Kanpur Study Predicts Antidepressant Response Within 7–10 Days

Researchers at IIT Kanpur, in collaboration with GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, have developed a promising approach to predict whether patients with depression are likely to respond to antidepressant treatment within 7–10 days, instead of waiting the conventional 4–6 weeks. The study analysed electrical signals from the brain and stomach using EEG and electrogastrography (EGG), alongside clinical symptoms.

Involving 206 participants, including 144 treatment-naive patients, the research found that the predictive model could identify likely non-responders with 84% sensitivity and 78% specificity during evaluation. Testing on an independent cohort showed 77.3% overall accuracy. Researchers say the findings could support earlier and more personalized treatment decisions, although larger and more diverse studies are needed to validate the approach.