Teen Sleep Plays Role in Depression, Addiction

March 28th, 2018

Is your teen getting enough sleep? New research from the University of Pittsburgh found that sleep-deprived teens are at an increased risk for serious problems like depression and addiction. Researchers Erika Forbes and Peter Franzen monitored kids’ sleep and brain activity at Pitt’s state-of-the-art sleep lab during two nights of controlled sleep deprivation. The 35 kids ages 11-15 had two visits spaced two weeks apart. Kids slept for 10 hours per night during one visit and four hours per night during the other.  At each visit, kids answered questions about their mood and had brain scans while playing a game in which they could receive cash rewards of $1 or $10.

Brain scans revealed that when they won the larger amount of money, sleep-deprived teens showed less responsiveness in the putamen--a part of the brain involved in goal-based actions and learning from rewards. This lower responsiveness in the putamen was not seen when teens were well rested. Importantly, the researchers also found a link between less putamen response and higher symptoms of depression.

Results from this study suggest that not getting enough sleep in the tween and teen years may impact how the brain processes rewards. In turn, this could disrupt mood and increase the chance of developing depression, and lead to other problems with reward-driven behavior, like risk taking and addiction. “Not getting enough sleep isn’t just an inconvenience for adolescents,” Dr. Forbes explained. “At a time when the brain is still developing, it can have consequences for mood, motivation, and mental health. These consequences can occur through altered responding to rewards.”

Interested in learning about sleep study opportunities for your child? Visit our sleep disorders page at Pitt+Me.