Amazon mental health study to help east London youngsters in launch of £2m Queen Mary research unit

Studies into depression in the Amazon and Latin American cities is being used to launch a research unit in east London at Queen Mary University.

The £2.7 million research unit is to open at the Mile End campus next March to advance studies into “resilience” and resources that help youths prevent and overcome depression and anxiety.

The cash comes from Bart’s Charity for the university’s partnership with People’s Palace projects in Latin America.

“Mental Health is major global challenge,” Prof Paul Heritage said. “Our projects in the past three years in South America were to understand the role of the arts in helping recovery from mental health crises.

“But the Barts funding ensures that we can work closer to home, in the East End of London.”

The new research involves east London arts organisations working with young people to ensure a wide pool of subjects contributing to the study.

It focuses on how to avoid and overcome anxiety and depression, rather than the cause of mental distress, to influence public health policies and clinical practice to improve mental health of young people.