Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have created a groundbreaking device that could transform how doctors diagnose mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. Led by Professor Chong Ahn from the UC College of Engineering and Applied Science, the team developed a “lab-on-a-chip” system that measures cortisol levels from a patient’s saliva.
Cortisol is a hormone linked to stress, and high levels of it can be a warning sign of mental health issues, even if patients do not report feeling anxious or depressed during standard mental health check-ups.
Mental health disorders are a major issue worldwide, affecting over 400 million people. Anxiety and depression are among the leading causes of disability globally. Studies have shown that prolonged high levels of cortisol are often linked with these mental health problems.
However, traditional mental health screenings depend on self-reporting through questionnaires, which can sometimes be inaccurate. Some patients may not be fully aware of their mental health state or may not feel comfortable sharing their feelings honestly. This is where the new UC device steps in, offering a noninvasive, fast, and reliable way to measure stress levels.
The “lab-on-a-chip” device works by using a simple disposable saliva collector. A person places it in their mouth, and then the sample is inserted into a small reader. This reader quickly analyzes the sample and sends the results to a portable analyzer or even directly to a smartphone.
The whole process takes just a few minutes, allowing doctors to get real-time information about a patient’s stress levels without the need for invasive blood tests or long waits for lab results. The study outlining this new technology was published in the journal Biomedical Microdevices.
Professor Ahn explained that the goal is to make mental health testing easier and faster, especially in urgent situations. For example, people experiencing severe anxiety or depressive episodes could get almost instant feedback on their condition.
This could help doctors make quicker decisions and provide necessary treatments sooner. It also allows for testing outside of traditional clinics, as patients could use the device at home and share the results with their doctors through their smartphones.
In addition to cortisol, the team is exploring other important hormones related to stress and mental health. UC doctoral student Supreeth Setty is studying DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a hormone that helps balance the effects of too much cortisol. High levels of cortisol compared to DHEA are often linked to chronic stress and mental health conditions.
Setty believes that testing for both cortisol and DHEA could give doctors even more information about a patient’s mental health. Unlike traditional questionnaires that rely on self-reported feelings, these hormone tests provide clear, objective data.
Setty pointed out that most mental health evaluations take time. Blood tests, for example, can take days for results to come back. In contrast, this saliva-based test provides results in minutes, making it a practical tool for both clinics and home settings. He hopes that the next step will be clinical trials with psychiatrists to confirm how well the device works in real-world situations.
But the researchers are not stopping at mental health. Their technology has wider applications. They have already tested it to measure troponin, a protein released into the bloodstream when the heart is damaged, such as during a heart attack. Elevated troponin levels, combined with symptoms like chest pain, can indicate that a heart attack is happening.
In a study published in the journal Analytical Chemistry, the UC team showed that their device could detect troponin from a small drop of blood, delivering immediate results. This rapid testing could be lifesaving, as it allows doctors to act quickly during cardiac events.
Doctoral student Heeyong Jang, who worked with Setty and Ahn on the project, explained that monitoring troponin levels after a heart attack could also help prevent future attacks. This kind of daily monitoring could give doctors valuable information on a patient’s heart health, potentially catching warning signs before they become emergencies.
The UC researchers also expanded their technology to address the COVID-19 pandemic. They designed a new point-of-care testing platform for detecting the virus quickly and accurately. Their design, which was published in the journal Sensors and Diagnostics, aims to make testing faster and more accessible in clinics and community settings.
The development of this lab-on-a-chip technology marks a significant step forward in medical diagnostics. By allowing people to test for things like cortisol, DHEA, troponin, and even COVID-19 at home or in small clinics, it reduces the need for invasive procedures and long lab wait times.
It also brings mental health and heart health testing closer to everyday settings, making it easier for patients to monitor their health regularly and share the results instantly with their doctors.
This new technology could have a profound impact on how we approach healthcare, particularly in diagnosing and managing mental health and heart conditions. Faster, noninvasive testing could lead to earlier interventions, better monitoring, and improved outcomes for patients who might otherwise go undiagnosed or untreated for too long.
The next step for the UC team is to conduct clinical trials to confirm these benefits and potentially bring the technology to the market, where it could change the landscape of medical testing.
If you care about health, please read studies that scientists find a core feature of depression and this metal in the brain strongly linked to depression.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about drug for mental health that may harm the brain, and results showing this therapy more effective than ketamine in treating severe depression.
The research findings can be found in Biomedical Microdevices.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
