Reward- and threat-related neural function associated with depression

Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH)

DOI: 10.13056/acamh.18400
In this podcast, we hear from Dr. Johnna Swartz, Assistant Professor of Human Ecology at the University of California Davis.
The focus is on the JCPP paper ‘Reward- and threat-related neural function associated with risk and presence of depression in adolescents: a study using a composite risk score in Brazil’ (doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13496), co-authored by Dr. Johnna Swartz.
Johnna sets the scene by explaining why she opted for Brazil to conduct her research, and provides us with a summary of the paper.
Johnna then details why it is important to study low risk, high risk, and depressed adolescents, rather than just low risk versus high-risk adolescents or non-depressed versus depressed adolescents, before highlighting and explaining the key findings of her research.
Furthermore, Johnna also discusses the implications of the findings for professionals working with young people and their families, and whether the risk scores used in the study are being adapted for use in clinical settings to help assess depression risk for young people.