How sleep and the body clock affect teen brain reward pathways
Official title: Regulation of Prefrontal Cortex - Nucleus Accumbens Circuit by Sleep and Circadian Rhythm
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11198102 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how sleep patterns and the internal body clock change brain circuits that influence reward and substance use risk in adolescents aged about 12–20.
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 start | July 15, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $219,416 |
| NIH project number | 2P50DA046346-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11198102 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adolescents around 12–20 years old, especially those with sleep or circadian disturbances or early signs of substance use risk.
✕Less likely to help
Adults outside the adolescent age range or people with long-standing severe substance use disorders are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From a teen's perspective, this project links lab work with studies of adolescents to learn how disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms change brain circuits that control reward-seeking. In animals researchers measure gene activity and cell physiology in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens after sleep or circadian disruption and observe related changes in reward behavior. The team will combine those findings with adolescent sleep and behavior data to search for biological markers and screening algorithms that predict who is at higher risk for starting substance use. Sex, social, and environmental factors will be considered when building the risk markers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce screening tools and biological targets to help prevent substance use in adolescents by addressing sleep and circadian problems early.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have shown that sleep and circadian disruption alter reward circuits and behavior, but applying those findings to adolescent screening and prevention is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Yanhua H — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Huang, Yanhua H
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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.