Mechanisms of Risky Alcohol Use in Young Adults: Linking Sleep to Reward- and Stress-Related Brain Function

Last updated: February 25, 2026
Sponsor: University of Oregon
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Opioid Use Disorder

Stimulant Use Disorder

Alcohol Dependence

Treatment

Sleep extension and advance

Regular sleep duration and timing

Clinical Study ID

NCT05684094
217901
R01AA029125
  • Ages 18-24
  • All Genders

Study Summary

This research will use biobehavioral approaches to generate understanding about the linkages between stressful life events, sleep duration and timing, and alcohol use in young adults, with a long-term aim of developing effective preventative interventions for alcohol use disorders.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. 18-24 years of age;

  2. NIAAA criteria for past-month high-risk drinking (i.e., ≥ 4 drinks/day or ≥ 8/weekfor women, ≥ 5 drinks/day or ≥ 15/week for men);

  3. short and late sleep (weekday sleep duration ≤ 7.5 hours and bedtime ≥ 24:00 (midnight); n=60) or long and early sleep (weekday sleep duration > 7.5 hours andbedtime ≤ 24:00 (midnight); n=30);

  4. at least moderate lifetime exposure to stressors (≥ 2 events on the 20-item AdultStress and Adversity Inventory-Screener);

  5. not currently in high school; and

  6. English language fluency.

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Severe alcohol use disorder (AUD) and/or substance use disorder (SUD), defined as ≥6AUD/SUD criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5;

  2. acute alcohol intoxication on the days of the laboratory post-intensive visits,operationalized as a blood alcohol concentration of .02 or higher duringBreathalyzer saliva screen;

  3. current clinician-provided diagnosis of narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia;

  4. lifetime diagnosis of bipolar or schizophrenia spectrum disorder;

  5. certain medical conditions (e.g., serious neurological disorder, heart failure orserious trouble, history of head injury with unconsciousness > 5 minutes);

  6. conditions that are contraindicated for MRI (e.g., ferrous metal in the body);

  7. positive screen for participant-reported eye disease, epilepsy, or photosensitizingmedications that are contraindicated during the manipulation condition when brightlight is administered (e.g., psychiatric neuroleptic drugs [e.g., phenothiazine],psoralen drugs, antiarrhythmic drugs [e.g., amiodarone], antimalarial andantirheumatic drugs, porphyrin drugs used in photodynamic treatment of skindiseases);

  8. use of melatonin if participant is not willing to discontinue use for the durationof the study.

We will schedule around (i.e., delay appointments as needed) to avoid the timeframe of the following events:

  1. urgent suicide risk, defined by moderate/severe risk per CSSR and cliniciandetermination that current risk requires immediate action;

  2. travel across two or more time zones within the month prior to the overnight studyvisits.

  3. begin/end a prescribed medication within 2 months of the observational study;

  4. medication dose changes within the timeframe calculated as 5x the drug's half-life [the time to reach pharmacokinetic steady-state] before the initiation of theobservational or experimental studies;

  5. participant-anticipated changes in prescribed medications or medication dosingduring the observational or experimental studies.;

  6. current symptoms of an airborne infectious illness (e.g., COVID) prior to laboratoryvisits.

Participants with positive breathalyzer screen (blood alcohol level > .02) will be rescheduled for an alternative overnight visit date.

Study Design

Total Participants: 90
Treatment Group(s): 2
Primary Treatment: Sleep extension and advance
Phase:
Study Start date:
September 07, 2023
Estimated Completion Date:
February 28, 2027

Study Description

High-risk drinking (consuming ≥ 4 drinks/day or ≥ 8/week for women, ≥ 5 drinks/day or ≥ 15/week for men) is reported by one in four young adults within the past month and predicts the development and progression of alcohol use disorder (AUD). High-risk drinking can also have terrible costs beyond developing AUD, including death and disability from unintended injuries and suicide attempts, physical and sexual assault, and a wide range of acute and chronic health problems. The high degree of morbidity and mortality associated with high- risk drinking in young adulthood makes this a key developmental period for AUD research and intervention.

High-risk drinking in young adults is related to high exposure to stressors, insufficient sleep duration, and late sleep timing. Alarmingly, almost half of young adults report at least moderate exposure to stressors, only 30% regularly obtain the recommended hours of sleep, and sleep timing is at its latest around age 20. Stressors and short/late sleep may also cause disruptions in reward- and stress-related brain function (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex response to monetary reward, autonomic and neuroendocrine function during stressors), which are key biobehavioral mechanisms of AUD. Short and late sleep habits are a prime target for AUD prevention in young adults; however, there is insufficient causal evidence that improving sleep opportunity and/or timing will alter the biobehavioral mechanisms of AUD or decrease high-risk drinking, particularly in at-risk young adults.

The overall objective of this R01 is to evaluate a biobehavioral model whereby sufficient sleep duration and/or early sleep timing can reduce high-risk drinking by promoting reward- and stress-related brain function in young adults with high lifetime stress load. The long-term goal of this research is to leverage sleep and circadian function to promote mental health. A series of studies by the PI and Co-I Hasler demonstrate that stressful life events, short sleep, and late sleep independently predict future reward- and stress-related brain function and alcohol use and dependence symptoms in adolescents and young adults. However, these studies do not evaluate the additive and interactive effects of stressful life events and sleep/circadian function and do not include experimental designs. More recent research by the PI and Co-I Hasler uses sleep and circadian manipulation to target reward- and stress-related brain function and improve mental health in adolescents and young adults. Building from this research, this R01 will test the central hypothesis that extending and advancing sleep will alter reward- and stress-related brain function in young adults with a history of high-risk drinking and elevated lifetime exposure to stressors. This proposal is consistent with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Strategic Objective to identify mechanisms underlying AUD and comorbid disorders.

Connect with a study center

  • Oregon Sleep Lab

    Eugene, Oregon 97403
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Oregon Sleep Lab

    Eugene 5725846, Oregon 5744337 97403
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

Map preview placeholder

Not the study for you?

Let us help you find the best match. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.