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Neuro-affective Response to Light in Depressed Adolescents and Young Adults

This study is looking at how different types of light, specifically blue light and red light, affect the brains of adolescents and young adults (ages 12-30) who have depression. Researchers want to see if blue light can help stabilize emotional brain function in people with depression, and if this effect is stronger for teenagers than young adults. You would participate in a brain scan (MRI) where they will observe your brain's response to blue and red light, both at rest and during tasks involving rewards and losses. To join, you need to have elevated depressive symptoms and meet other criteria, such as being able to read and write in English.

Study design
This is an interventional study planning to enroll 80 participants. It compares the effects of blue light exposure versus red light exposure.
What's involved
You would complete a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan during which you will be exposed to blue and red light.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Not specified.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05712772

Neuro-affective Response to Light in Depressed Adolescents and Young Adults

Active, Not Recruiting
NAAges 12–30Interventional
University of Pittsburgh
~80 participants
Updated 2026-09-02 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Blue LightRed Light

At a glance

Recruiting sites
0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Amygdala cerebral blood flow during Blue vs Red light exposure
Measured over Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit
+3 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Depression in Adolescence
Depression in Adults

Explore related trials

Depression

NCT05712772

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Western Psychiatric Hospital

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvaniano site contact published

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Adriane M Soehner, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Pittsburgh

Who to contact

This trial hasn't published a contact. View it on ClinicalTrials.gov

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Elevated Depressive Symptoms \[PHQ9≥5 And (Item 1≥1 or Item 2≥1)\]
(If \<18yr) Parent or guardian can attend the baseline clinical interview

Exclusion

Unable to read and write in English
Intellectual disability.
Left or mixed handedness
Changes to psychotropic medication type or dosage in the past 2 months
Lifetime bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, or substance/alcohol disorder in the past 3 months.
Factors influencing light and color sensitivity (i.e., color-blindness, serious ophthalmological conditions, photo-sensitizing medication).
Factors influencing the ability to maintain a stable sleep schedule (i.e., shift work, severe sleep disorders, extremely late or early sleep schedule).
Severe medical illness, neurological disorders, or history of head trauma.
Current pregnancy or nursing
MRI contraindication (e.g., metals in the body, recent tattoo, claustrophobia)
Positive alcohol or substance use screen at MRI visit

What this trial measures

  • Amygdala cerebral blood flow during Blue vs Red light exposureCollected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

    Cerebral blood flow will be assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling collected during blue and red light exposures. Regional cerebral blood flow in the amygdala region of interest will be examined.

  • Ventral Striatum cerebral blood flow during Blue vs Red light exposureCollected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

    Cerebral blood flow will be assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling collected during blue and red light exposures. Regional cerebral blood flow in the ventral striatum region of interest will be examined.

  • Amygdala activity (loss>neutral) during Blue vs Red light exposureCollected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

    This outcome will be measured during the an auditory probabilistic reward task, which is a computerized fMRI behavioral task. Activation is defined by blood oxygen dependent signal within an amygdala region of interest on loss versus neutral (no win/no loss) trials.

  • Ventral Striatum activity (punish>neutral) during Blue vs Red light exposureCollected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

    This outcome will be measured during the an auditory probabilistic reward task, which is a computerized fMRI behavioral task. Activation is defined by blood oxygen dependent signal within a ventral striatum region of interest on win versus neutral (no win/no loss) trials.