RAD-SD Study – Age 18

STUDY BASICS

Are you 18 or 19 years old and currently feeling sad, gloomy, down, or depressed? If so, you may be able to participate in a research study investigating whether an intervention that targets sleep physiology improves mood. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Many young adults experience depression, a serious mood disorder that causes feelings of intense sadness, lowered energy, lack of interest in activities, academic problems, and withdrawal from others. Standard treatments for depression include antidepressant medications and counseling, but these may take weeks or months to work, or may not work at all. Some studies have shown that blocking a part of sleep that is abnormal in depression can rapidly improve depression symptoms, but this effect is not fully understood.

The purpose of this study is to find out if an intervention that targets the sleep-wake cycle is a safe and effective approach for improving depression symptoms in young adults, and to better understand how sleep affects brain systems related to mood. The intervention used in this study is not invasive, does not involve medications, and does not shorten the duration of sleep. Researchers hope their findings will lead to better treatments for young adults with depression in the future.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Age 18-19
• Currently feeling sad, gloomy, down, or depressed
• No history of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
• No serious medical or neurological conditions
• Not taking any psychiatric medications other than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, or Celexa
• Willing and able to undergo MRI scanning (no non-removable metal in the body, and not claustrophobic)

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

After completing an online pre-screening survey, this study begins with an eligibility assessment (in-person or virtual).

If eligible after this visit, you will be invited to participate in 3 consecutive overnight visits at the UPMC Sleep and Behavioral Neuroscience Center. During these visits, you will have your sleep monitored and sounds will be played during sleep to alter your sleep physiology. Some participants will be invited to complete brain scans with MRI.

In the week after the final overnight visit, you will be asked to compete brief online surveys about mood and sleep at home.