"If there is a causal link between omega-3, serotonin transporter genotype and depression, we can develop better strategies to deal with it," she said.
The study will be the first to measure which variant a teenager has of the serotonin transporter gene, which is responsible for our uptake of "feel-good" serotonin and mood control.
These studies also looked at the roles of stressful life events, genotype at the serotonin transporter gene, and the resulting depression risk.