Sleep and body-clock patterns to spot teens at risk for nicotine and cannabis use
Leveraging Sleep-Circadian Signatures to Predict Substance Use Outcomes in Adolescence
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · NIH-11198099
This project uses teenagers' sleep and body‑clock patterns to find who is more likely to start or increase nicotine and cannabis use.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11198099 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers will collect sleep and circadian data using wearable trackers, sleep diaries, and questionnaires. They will combine those data with brief behavioral tests and regular reports about substance use over time. Machine‑learning methods will search for combinations of sleep and behavior that predict later nicotine or cannabis use. The team aims to turn those patterns into practical screening tools that clinics or schools could use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are early adolescents and teens (roughly ages 11–20), especially those in early adolescence (about 11–13) or with irregular sleep patterns or concerns about substance use.
Not a fit: Children much younger than 11, adults, or teens already in long-term treatment for severe substance dependence are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify at-risk teens earlier so families, schools, and clinicians can offer targeted prevention before use escalates.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research links sleep/circadian disruptions to substance use risk, but prior machine‑learning screening tools have had only modest practical predictive success, so this approach builds on promising signals while remaining relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SOEHNER, ADRIANE M. — UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- Study coordinator: SOEHNER, ADRIANE M.
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.