(NewsNation) — Researchers at the University of Southern California have developed a wearable sensor that could help people living with bipolar disorder track their medication levels.

The device, which is the first of its kind, could improve the current routine of treatment like blood draws and lab analyses for patients who take lithium, a type of mood stabilizer, as a treatment. While a highly effective treatment, it needs to be monitored regularly and administered correctly to prevent too low or too high of a dose.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder affects 2.8% of the U.S. adult population.

In the study, researchers argued that sweat was the better alternative to track lithium levels because it is a non-invasive way to collect the concentrations of

See Full Page