How sleep and body-clock changes in teens link to substance use risk
Molecular changes associated with sleep and circadian disruption in adolescence: relevance to substance use
This project looks at how sleep problems and shifts in daily body-clock rhythms during the teenage years change cells and brain circuits in ways that can increase the chance of later substance use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11198100 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may be asked to provide small, noninvasive samples such as cheek swabs and hair-follicle cells so researchers can measure body-clock markers and proteins. At the same time, researchers will use rodent models to trace how sleep and circadian disruption change brain reward circuits and cell function. The team will compare molecular signals from the human samples with findings from animals to pinpoint mechanisms that link disrupted sleep to substance use vulnerability. Their goal is to identify measurable signs in blood or cells that show who is at higher risk and why.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are teens and young adults (roughly 12–20 years old), especially those reporting sleep or circadian problems or who are at higher risk for substance use.
Not a fit: People outside the adolescent age range or those without sleep/circadian issues (or unwilling to provide small biological samples) are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biological markers that help identify teens at higher risk for substance use and point to new prevention targets.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked adolescent sleep disruption to changes in gene expression and higher substance use risk, but detailed molecular and translational mechanisms are still being worked out.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcclung, Colleen a — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Mcclung, Colleen a
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 below.