The Center’s conceptual model posits that adolescent development is associated with enhanced reward function relative to cognitive control, phase delay in endogenous circadian rhythms, and reduced homeostatic sleep drive. Genetic, environmental and social factors interact with these developmental processes, often resulting in late sleep timing, short sleep duration, and circadian misalignment—each of which is associated with increased substance use in teens and young adults.
The central hypothesis of the Center is that adolescent development acts on underlying sleep and circadian traits to modify homeostatic sleep drive, circadian phase, and circadian alignment, which in turn impact cortico-limbic functions critical to substance use risk (e.g., reward and cognitive control). We further hypothesize that specific manipulations of sleep and circadian rhythms during adolescence will affect reward responsivity and cognitive control in either positive or negative directions. These manipulations will provide experimental support for our model, and proof of concept for novel clinical interventions to reduce the risk of substance use disorders.