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Circadian Rhythms and Homeostatic Sleep Drive and Their Effect on Reward and Cognitive Control Systems in Adolescents

Center for Adolescent Reward, Rhythms and Sleep Project 1

Who can join

Ages 13 to 18 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 13-18 years
* Currently enrolled in a traditional high-school (not cyber- or home-schooled) \[school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic are an exception to this\]
* Physically and psychiatrically healthy
* Provision of written informed consent and assent

Exclusion Criteria:

* outside age range above
* have a history of alcohol, cannabis, or illicit drug use greater than weekly use in the past year
* have serious medical or neurological disorders, including history of seizures
* have serious psychiatric disorders (e.g. bipolar disorder and schizophrenia)
* taking antidepressants (SSRIs/SSNIs are OK) or medications known to impact sleep/wake function - some medications may be okay if willing and able to discontinue prior to and/or for laboratory procedures
* have sleep disorders other than insomnia or Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder
* have MRI contraindications (i.e., metal in the body; claustrophobia)
* first degree relative with bipolar disorder
* frequent headaches or migraines
* inability to swallow pills/capsules.
* pregnancy
* participants with observed Obstructive Sleep Apnea via Apnealink, as indicated by an Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) of greater than 5
* Less than 80 lbs. or a BMI of greater than 35

About the study

Adolescence is a time of heightened reward sensitivity and greater impulsivity. On top of this, many teenagers experience chronic sleep deprivation and misalignment of their circadian rhythms due to biological shifts in their sleep/wake patterns paired with early school start times, which may increase the risk for substance use (SU). However, what impact circadian rhythm and sleep disruption either together or independently have on the neuronal circuitry that controls reward and cognition, or if there are interventions that might help to modify these disruptions is unknown. Project 1 (P1), specifically examines homeostatic and circadian characteristics as mechanisms linking habitual sleep patterns, reward and cognitive control (at subjective, behavioral, and circuit levels), and longitudinal substance use risk.

What is being tested

• Ultradian sleep/wake protocol (behavioral)

Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh · Participants: 200 · Started: Mar 4, 2022

Contact the study team

• Ronette Blake, MS · Phone: (412) 443-3704
• Sarah Aerni · Phone: 412-551-110

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05336084

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Drug Use and Addiction

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Oct 2, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.