# Proximal prospective associations between circadian alignment, reward function and alcohol use in adolescents

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2021 · $528,619

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
A variety of evidence suggests that sleep and circadian rhythms influence the development of alcohol use
disorders (AUDs) during adolescence. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the relationships between
sleep/circadian function and AU remain unknown, and thus are the focus of this application. Specifically, we
hypothesize that adolescent sleep and circadian disturbances result in dysregulated reward function (i.e.,
diminished impulse control and increased reward sensitivity), which in turn leads to increased AU. Our
proposed study will examine the short-term causal dynamics between sleep/circadian factors, reward function,
and AU, thereby informing the development of novel prevention and intervention approaches for AUDs. In
particular, we propose a prospective, mixed-methods approach in a sample of 150 12th grade (17-19 y/o)
students reporting weekly AU. The novel design combines state-of-the-art in vivo methods (to enhance
ecological validity and precision, while limiting recall bias) and laboratory methods (to enhance scientific rigor).
Specifically, we will collect (1) 8 days of ecological momentary assessment (self-reported craving and AU), (2)
objective measurements of sleep and endogenous circadian timing (actigraphy, salivary melatonin, clock gene
expression), and (3) objective measures (behavioral and fMRI) of reward function. We will also assess self-
reported sleep/circadian factors, reward function, and AU at 3- and 6-month follow-ups, allowing us to examine
both proximal and longitudinal associations between our key constructs of interest. Our design capitalizes on
the “natural experiment” of weekday-weekend changes in sleep, circadian rhythms, and AU. Assessing
sleep/circadian factors both pre- and post-weekend will enable us to examine whether circadian alignment
and/or sleep duration prospectively predict weekend AU, and vice versa. Including pre-weekend behavioral
and fMRI tasks will allow us to evaluate objective measures of reward function as intervening variables
between sleep/circadian factors and AU. Specific Aim 1 is to establish the extent of proximal prospective
associations between sleep/circadian factors, reward function, and AU. Specific Aim 2 is to establish the
extent of distal associations between sleep/circadian factors, reward function, and AU.
This innovative proposal will rigorously test our novel conceptual model proposing a circadian-reward path to
adolescent AUD and examining both proximal and more distal timeframes. It will have substantial impact and
public health significance, with the potential to elucidate novel mechanisms of AU problems at a key
developmental stage. Demonstration of a sleep/circadian influence on AU would provide scientific justification
for testing empirically-supported sleep/circadian interventions to AUD prevention.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10174603
- **Project number:** 5R01AA025626-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Brant P. Hasler
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $528,619
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-10 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10174603

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10174603, Proximal prospective associations between circadian alignment, reward function and alcohol use in adolescents (5R01AA025626-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10174603. Licensed CC0.

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