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.
Typically enrolled in a traditional high-school with synchronous learning (in-person or online synchronous learning, but not cyber- or home-schooling) [school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic are an exception to this]
Physically and psychiatrically healthy
Provision of written informed consent and assent
Additional inclusion criterion for Experimental protocol: Meets operational definition of late sleep timing (>10:50PM habitual bedtime)
History of alcohol, cannabis, or illicit drug use in the past month, or greater than monthly use in the past year
Significant or unstable acute or chronic medical conditions
Frequent headaches or migraines
History of seizures
Parallel
Increase morning bright light
Other interventionParticipants will wear Re-Timer bright glasses for 30 minutes each morning upon rising
Decrease evening blue light
Other interventionParticipants will wear tinted glasses that block blue wavelength light for 2 hours before bed
Sleep Scheduling
BehavioralParticipants will advance their bedtime by 1.5 hours and regularize their wake time
Monitor sleep, mood, and substance use
BehavioralParticipants will complete smartphone-based sleep, mood, and substance use monitoring
Weekday Sleep Duration--Actigraphy & Diaries
Total Sleep Time as determined by wrist actigraphy data \& sleep diaries (averaged across weekdays during 2 weeks at T1 and 2 weeks at T2)
Circadian Timing-Dim Light Melatonin Onset
Circadian Timing as determined by dim light melatonin onset during saliva sampling using the 4pg/ml threshold.
Circadian Alignment
Circadian alignment is operationalized as the interval between the dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) and sleep midpoint based on the prior two nights of actigraphy data.
Reward motivation (Behavioral)
Assessed by adjusted average pumps on Balloon Analogue Risk Task, a computerized measure of risk taking behavior in which participants are presented with a series of balloons and offered the chance to earn money by pumping each balloon up by clicking a button. The adjusted average only includes non-burst trials.
Cannabis use
Days of cannabis use on Timeline Follow Back interview administered during the baseline interview and in self-report surveys every 6 months.
Alcohol Use
Days of alcohol use on Timeline Follow Back interview administered during baseline interview and every six months via self-report
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
University of Pittsburgh
Lead sponsor
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Collaborator
