Study on How Sleep Duration and Timing Affect Brain Function Related to Depression and Stress in Adolescents

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying depression and anhedonia in adolescents aged 14 to 18, focusing on how sleep duration and timing, along with stressful life events, affect brain function related to reward and stress. This research aims to better understand these links to develop effective prevention methods for depression, a condition that has increased among teens and is expected to be a leading cause of disability globally by 2030. The study examines how short or late sleep and stress disrupt brain areas important for mood and motivation, which may lead to depressive symptoms and anhedonia. The study compares two sleep schedules one group will extend their sleep by going to bed 90 minutes earlier and use special goggles to block certain light in the evening and expose themselves to bright light in the morning to advance their sleep timing. The other group will maintain their usual sleep schedule. Participants will receive motivational support and incentives to help follow their assigned sleep routines. This randomized trial evaluates whether changing sleep patterns can improve brain function related to reward and stress and reduce depressive symptoms over two months. During the study, participants will complete brain scans to assess reward- and stress-related brain activity after two weeks, and self-report scales measuring depression and positive mood after two months. Researchers will monitor sleep habits, use questionnaires, and encourage communication with the study team to track adherence. The primary outcomes include changes in depression severity, positive affect, anhedonia, and brain function. The total participation duration includes baseline, intervention, and follow-up assessments to understand the effects of sleep changes on mental health in adolescents.

Mechanisms of Depression and Anhedonia in Adolescents: Linking Sleep to Reward- and Stress-Related Brain Function