Research Areas

Overview

This program focuses on learning and understanding more about depression in young people and how best to treat it. It is involved in two large treatment trials to look at the use of antidepressant and anti-inflammatory medications alongside cognitive behaviour therapy. Researchers are also examining brain processes underlying depression and its treatment.

Why is this research area important?

Depression causes the highest burden of any illness - physical or mental - in young people. Although we know this, we still need to know why depression happens in young people and how to treat it effectively.

Key questions

• Should we use antidepressant medications as first-line treatment in young people?
• What are the effective components of psychotherapy for depression?
• Are there more benign medications (for example, aspirin and fish-oil) that can help to treat depression?
• Are there patterns of brain activity that help us to understand depression and how best to treat it?