RAD-SD Study – Parents of Depressed 13-18 Year Olds

STUDY BASICS

Are you the parent of a child aged 13-18 who is currently feeling sad, gloomy, down, or depressed? If so, your child may be able to participate in a research study investigating whether an intervention that targets sleep physiology improves mood. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Many teens and 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 youth and young adults, and to better understand how sleep affects brain systems related to mood. Researchers hope their findings will lead to better treatments for young adults with depression in the future.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Parent of child aged 13-18
• Child is currently feeling sad, gloomy, down, or depressed
• Child has no history of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
• Child has no serious medical or neurological conditions

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, your teen will be invited to participate in 3 consecutive overnight visits at the UPMC Sleep and Behavioral Neuroscience Center. During these visits, your teen 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, your teen will be asked to compete brief online surveys about mood and sleep at home.