Dr. Nadine Burke Harris at The Center for Youth Wellness in San Francisco.

We write to share a recent article in the New York Times about a talented young doctor who has taken the national stage to shed light on depression research and treatment.

Treating the Lifelong Harm of Childhood Trauma highlights the work of pediatrician Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, who is deeply concerned about the proven connection between childhood adversity and depression later in life.

Research shows how prolonged stress early in life can actually change our brains, making us more susceptible to depression as adults.  Now, Dr. Burke Harris calls for a national public health campaign to raise awareness about this reality.

We applaud Dr. Burke Harris for her activism and emphasize that our own Depression Task Force is at the forefront of this kind of critical brain science.  Indeed, Task Force member Dr. Eric Nestler spoke directly about the link between early life stress and depression at our November HOPE Luncheon Seminar.

To view Dr. Nestler’s illuminating talk, click here.

If you would like a copy of Dr. Nestler’s slides, please contact Anais Rivera at ar@hopefordepression.org.

The work of Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is just one example of how advances in depression research can improve treatment and bring hope to millions.  Thank you for your continued support of HDRF’s research mission.