Overview
Despite the availability of several evidence-based treatments for depression among adolescents, response rates are suboptimal, and as many as 70% of youth respond insufficiently to their first treatment. Treatment resistance is thus unfortunately common, and new treatments are needed. This symposium brings together experts in adolescent depression from different academic centres in Canada and the UK and across the career spectrum.
Speakers will update participants on recent knowledge regarding new treatment targets for depression among adolescents. Specifically, the evidence regarding the importance of dietary patterns in adolescent and adult MDD will be discussed, and information regarding the potential role of the gut microbiome will be presented. Similarly, participants will learn about current evidence-based treatment approaches for adolescent sleep problems among young people with MDD and will learn about the transdiagnostic benefits of brief psychotherapies in this age range.
Within each presentation, speakers will introduce delegates to innovative, precision-based treatments that are currently being tested in pilot and randomised controlled trials. Preliminary data from studies targeting dietary patterns, sleep problems, and co-occurring psychological problems among adolescent with depression using novel personalised, standardised interventions will be presented.
Objectives
At the end of this symposium, participants will:
• recognize the difference in dietary patterns among depressed and non-depressed adolescents
• discuss the evidence regarding dietary interventions among adults with MDD
• consider preliminary data evaluating a novel personalized dietary intervention for adolescents with depression
• be aware of the importance of sleep in the treatment of adolescent depression
• describe current evidence-based treatment approaches for adolescent sleep problems co-occurring with depression
• learn about a new, personalized intervention approach for sleep difficulties in adolescents with depression
• learn that brief psychotherapies in this age range are transdiagnostic
• become aware of the potential benefits of a personalized intervention approaches to specific behaviours in depressed adolescents, and consider their value in relation to the effects of current general treatments aimed at all depressive symptoms.
Speakers
Chair: Dr Ian Goodyer, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, University College London, London
Dr Ian Goodyer, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, University College London, London
Dr Daphne Korczak, The Hospital for Sick Children, The University of Toronto, Toronto
Dr Madison Aitken, York University, Toronto
Dr Raphael Kelvin, CambridgeBPI Ltd and NHS England MindEd National Clinical Educator Lead, Technology Enhanced Learning
