Splitting hairs to find signs of illness

A JAMES Cook University researcher is using children’s hair to better identify mental health disorders.

Dr Hani Mikhail’s groundbreaking Townsville- based research project is investigating the potential to measure levels of stress hormone cortisol in hair to help screen children for a range of mental conditions, as well as flag those at risk of developing one.

“The current model of mental health relies on analysing symptoms and their impact on a patient’s life, then trying to figure out what is going on at a psychological level,” Dr Mikhail said.

“There is no way of looking beneath the surface, and treatment can involve a long process of trial and error.”

The study is the first Australian research project to trial the collection and analysis of hair cortisol from children visiting a mental health facility.

Dr Mikhail’s aim is to see hair cortisol employed as a diagnostic tool to screen and identify children at risk.

“Ultimately, my colleagues and I want to see hair cortisol enable clinicians to detect if a child is brewing a mental health disorder, before they show any symptoms – so they can intervene to prevent something bad happening later on,” he said.

Since December last year, he has collected hair samples and background questionnaire data from over 150 children, aged five to 18, who have attended the Child and Youth Mental Health Service in Townsville.

ULTIMATELY, MY COLLEAGUES AND I WANT TO SEE HAIR CORTISOL ENABLE CLINICIANS TO DETECT IF A CHILD IS BREWING A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER, BEFORE THEY SHOW ANY SYMPTOMS.

DR HANI MIKHAIL