ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the symptoms, prevalence and developmental course of youth depression. It turns to links between depression and Working Memory (WM) and related Executive Function (EF) abilities and the neuro-biological substrates supporting these processes. Other symptoms must also be present nearly every day during the same two-week period, for a total of at least several symptoms: significant weight loss or gain, or increased or decreased appetite; insomnia or hypersomnia; psychomotor agitation or retardation; and fatigue or loss of energy. The chapter discusses how these problems may explain some of the academic and interpersonal problems that Amanda has been having. It outlines some key open questions about why, when and for whom WM/EF abilities and depression are linked, and discuss implications for interventions. Longitudinal research has begun to investigate whether poor EF proceeds, and thus may be a risk factor for, depression; is a consequence of past depression; is a correlate of depression; or is transactionally related to depression.
