RESEARCHING THE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION - REASONS FOR OPTIMISM

As part of its commitment to fostering research in all aspects of psyc hiatry, the Mental Health Foundation, a British charity, sponsors conf erences in Key areas. The 1995 research conference brought together le ading academics and practitioners to discuss current ideas concerning the causes of depression. The papers selected for this supplement are based on presentations to the conference, appropriately expanded and u pdated. As such they cover most of the main ideas and issues in this d eveloping topic. This paper seeks to place these in a broader context.