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

Part of paid clinical trials in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Sponsor
University of Pittsburgh
Study ID
NCT05336084
Status
Recruiting
Apply to this trial

Conditions

  • Sleep

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
13 Years - 18 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Ultradian sleep/wake protocol — BEHAVIORAL
    120-minute schedule, consisting of 80 minutes awake followed by a 40 minute sleep opportunity for up to 36 hours

Study Details

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.

Key Dates

Start date
Mar 4, 2022
Status verified
Apr 2026
Primary completion
Mar 31, 2030
Completion
May 31, 2030

Study Design

Enrollment
200 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE

Arms

  • Experimental: Ultradian Sleep/Wake protocol
    This study uses an ultradian sleep/wake protocol to examine circadian and homeostatic sleep systems and their contributions to reward and cognitive control function. All participants will undergo the ultradian sleep/wake protocol following a night of sleep in the lab (measured with polysomnography). The ultradian sleep/wake protocol will last for 28-36 h, during which every 120-minutes, there will be an 80-minute period of waking, followed by a 40-minute sleep opportunity. Prior to 2026, a repeat night of sleep will occur at the end of the 36-hour ultradian sleep/wake protocol. As of 2026, the repeat sleep study is no longer being conducted, and the ultradian protocol was shortened to 28 hours.

Primary Outcome Measure

Change in EEG delta power across overnight polysomnography on the night preceding vs. following the 36-hour ultradian sleep/wake protocol. [ Time Frame: The first night of sleep preceding the 36-hour ultradian sleep/wake protocol vs the night of sleep following the ultradian sleep/wake protocol ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Western Psychiatric HospitalPittsburghPennsylvania15213
Ronette Blake, MS
[email protected]
412-443-3704
Peter L. Franzen, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

Find similar trials in Pittsburgh, PA

By research site
Western Psychiatric Hospital· Pittsburgh, PA

Related Studies