Actively Recruiting
Experimental Manipulation of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms and the Role Played on Reward Function in Teens
Led by University of Pittsburgh · Updated on 2026-05-06
100
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
265 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of Pittsburgh
Lead Sponsor
N
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
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. Many studies find that this increases 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 2 (P2) of the CARRS center will test an innovative and mechanistic model of brain circuitry that uses multi-method approaches, takes a developmental perspective, and incorporates key sleep and reward constructs.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Experimental Manipulation of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms and the Role Played on Reward Function in Teens
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Typically enrolled in a traditional high school with synchronous learning (in-person or online synchronous learning, but not cyber- or home-schooling) except during COVID-19 school closures
- Physically and psychiatrically healthy
- Provide written informed consent and assent
- For experimental protocol: Habitual bedtime later than 10:50 PM indicating late sleep timing
You will not qualify if you...
- History of alcohol, cannabis, or illicit drug use in the past month or more than monthly use in the past year
- Significant or unstable acute or chronic medical conditions
- Frequent headaches or migraines
- History of seizures
- Current serious psychiatric disorders interfering with study completion (e.g., depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, psychotic disorder, alcohol or substance use disorder)
- Current syndromal sleep disorders other than insomnia and delayed sleep phase disorder
- MRI contraindications such as metal in the body or claustrophobia
- Use of medications that increase sensitivity to blue light/photosensitizing medications including psychiatric neuroleptics, psoralen drugs, antiarrhythmics
- Changes to psychotropic medication regimen within 2 weeks prior to enrollment or major medication changes during the study
- Average bedtime later than 3:00 AM or average wake time later than 11:00 AM
- Other sleep disorders requiring ongoing treatment
- Sleep disorders causing significant distress or impairment as per DSM 5 criteria in Sleep SCID
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Western Psychiatric Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
R
Ronette G Blake, MS
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
2
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