Clinician handoff
Depression
Designed for a 60-second scan in primary care. Use this to explain why this theory fits, what would weaken it, and which tests are most worth discussing.
Why this still fits
I've had persistent low mood and brain fog for [DURATION]. My PHQ-9 score is [X]. I'd like to rule out medical causes before assuming primary depression.
What would weaken it
- -Are you always cold when others are comfortable, and have you had unexplained weight changes?
- -Does exercise generally make you feel better (even if hard to start)?
- -Do you snore loudly or has anyone observed you stopping breathing during sleep?
- -When symptoms flare, do they reliably occur 1-3 hours after meals and improve when meal composition changes?
Key points to communicate
- •Thyroid dysfunction perfectly mimics depression - I'd like TSH and Free T4
- •B12, D, and iron deficiencies cause depression symptoms
- •If I have inflammatory subtype (high CRP), different treatments may work better
- •Please separate metabolic, sleep, autonomic, and medication overlap before narrowing to one cause.
Tests and measurements to discuss
Need the fuller context? Use the test explainers for the measurement itself, or jump back to the tests section on the Depression page to see how the tests fit the whole pattern.
Thyroid panel (TSH, Free T4)
What this helps clarify: Thyroid hormone precursor — low levels indicate hypothyroidism
Range context
1.0–1.5 ng/dL
How to use the result
Save the result with date and symptoms from the same week.
Ferritin, B12, Vitamin D
What this helps clarify: Severe deficiency doubles dementia risk
Range context
40–60 ng/mL
How to use the result
Save the result with date and symptoms from the same week.
What this helps clarify: High-sensitivity inflammatory marker relevant to systemic and neuroinflammatory burden.
Range context
<1.0 mg/L
How to use the result
Save the result with date and symptoms from the same week.
Depression + Subtyping Panel
Peer-reviewed references