A study has shown for the first time that depression and anxiety have different biochemical associations with inflammation and lipid metabolism, suggesting that more targeted treatments may be possible, researchers say.

Blood samples from more than 2800 participants in a Dutch study were tested for associations between 40 metabolites and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Hilde de Kluiver, a PhD student in psychiatry at Amsterdam UMC, presented the research at last week’s European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Virtual Congress.

Participants were from the Netherlands Study of Anxiety and Depression and included 304 people with current depression, 548 with anxiety, 531 with co-occurring depression and anxiety, 807 with remitted disorders and 634 healthy controls.