Adolescent sleep health and cannabis use: how sleep changes relate to use
Official title: An initial test of biobehavioral mechanisms of sleep health alterations in the context of adolescent cannabis use using objective methods
Funded at Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital · NIH-11336434 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small study with teens will use objective sleep measures and brain imaging to understand how cannabis use may affect sleep and related brain activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Riverside, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 6, 2021 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $199,064 |
| NIH project number | 2P20GM139743-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336434 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents aged 14–15 who have either weekly cannabis use for at least three months or minimal/no cannabis use.
✕Less likely to help
Teens outside the 14–15 age range or those not willing to undergo MRI sleep paradigms may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will enroll 50 adolescents aged 14–15, split between those who use cannabis weekly for at least three months and those who do not. Participants will undergo multimodal objective sleep assessments, including an fMRI sleep task that compares resting awake and try-to-sleep states to explore brain processes tied to sleep and cannabis use. The study aims to map sleep health patterns and brain activity to see how cannabis use relates to sleep problems and potential progression to cannabis use disorder. Results could inform prevention and intervention strategies for improving sleep and reducing risky cannabis use in teens.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help tailor sleep- and cannabis-focused prevention and intervention strategies for adolescents.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows sleep and cannabis relationships in adults; this study extends understanding to adolescents with objective sleep measures.
Where this research is happening
-
Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital
Riverside, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thomas, Sarah Ann — Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital
- Study coordinator: Thomas, Sarah Ann
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.