Unlocking the Potential of Effective Connectivity as a Neuroimaging Biomarker: A Path Toward Personalized Depression Treatment in Youth

Depression is a common and devastating mental illness with a peak age at onset of 19.5 years (1) and is a leading contributor to the burden of disease in youth ages 10 to 24 years (2). Adolescents with depression are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and depression represents a top cause of death in adolescents (3). Moreover, earlier onset of depression is associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes and more severe depressive symptomatology (4). Alarmingly, over the past decade, rates of depression have increased by 52% in adolescents ages 12 to 17 and 63% in young adults ages 18 to 25, with corresponding increases in suicidal thoughts and behaviors (5).
Source: Biological Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research