In an ideal world children would grow up untouched by illness. The real world, however, can be a bewildering and sad place for many children struggling with depression and other mental illnesses.
Depression in adolescents is a serious illness carrying a high risk for recurrence throughout adult life.
Australian Rotary Health is tackling mental illness in Australia head on! This year 10 pilot research studies have been endowed under the initiative “Mental Health of Young Australians (Birth to 17 Years)”.
The project is the first of its kind in Australia. Australian Rotary Health Chairman, Noel Trevaskis, noted that “the $300,000 spent on funding the pilot research projects is a valuable investment in the health of Australian children”.
One of the pilot studies is being undertaken by Dr Naomi Wray from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR).
Naomi Wray’s speciality is genetics. Her work at QIMR involves researching the pattern of disease in families, particularly in identical and non-identical twins.
Dr Wray’s research is testing whether cytokines, key molecules for communication between cells in the body, are associated with symptoms of depression in adolescents.
“Cytokines are well known for their role in the response of the immune system to infection, but evidence of an additional role for cytokines within the brain is starting to emerge” Dr Wray said.
“The theory of cytokine induced depression is compelling” she added. “It is supported by a number of research studies and complements, rather than replaces, other theories of depression”.
However, previous studies were limited in scope and only one study focussed on depression in adolescents.
“A larger, more comprehensive study is needed to unravel the relationship between cytokines and depression in adolescence” Dr Wray said.
In the pilot study Dr Wray will determine whether genetic variations can be detected in levels of cytokines in the blood of 16 year old children.
If so, the data will give her a competitive edge to secure further funding to investigate if there is a relationship between cytokines and depression in adolescents and whether the relationship has a genetic basis.
“We are extremely excited to be given the opportunity to generate pilot data for this new direction of research: it is essential to obtaining funding for a full research study in the future” she added.