Examining the relationship between sleep physiology, myelin content, and depressive symptoms in young people

The National Institute of Mental Health awarded Boston Children's Hospital $153,560 on January 7, 2027, under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) to conduct a postdoctoral fellowship examining the relationship between sleep physiology, myelin content, and depressive symptoms in young people ages 9–26 years.

The research leverages data from two ongoing R01 studies to investigate two specific aims: understanding the relationship between sleep EEG signatures (spindles and slow wave activity) and myelin content, and determining the role of sleep and myelin in predicting depressive symptoms. The fellow will analyze overnight sleep recordings captured over 2–3 consecutive nights using at-home wearable sleep devices (DREEM3 headband) from one R01 cohort and myelin-specific MRI imaging data (inhomogeneous magnetization transfer sequence on a 3T scanner) from a second R01 cohort, combined with depression symptom assessments including Beck's Depression Inventory scores collected at baseline and yearly follow-up visits. Participants must have enrolled in both R01 studies to be included in the analysis.

Performance occurs in Boston, Massachusetts. The project period runs through August 2, 2027. This is a Project Grant assistance type, a postdoctoral fellowship supporting individual research training on behalf of the fellow to realize research potential.

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of neuroplasticity and change across physiological and behavioral domains. In particular, adolescence is an important window for brain maturation, during which both sleep physiology and myelin development play critical roles in neurodevelopment and depression. The present fellowship hones in on the relationship between sleep, myelin, and depressive symptoms in young people. Research with adults supports the impact of specific sleep physiology (e.g., spindles and slow wave activity) on white matter integrity and myelin content, and vice versa. As such, the central hypothesis of the proposed work is that both sleep physiology and myelin will provide independent as well as joint effects on depressive symptoms in young people. Specifically, the research aims the understand the relationship between sleep EEG signatures (i.e., spindles and slow wave activity) and myelin content (aim 1) and the role of sleep EEG signatures and myelin in predicting depressive symptoms in young people (aim 2). To address aim 1 and 2, i will leverage data from two ongoing R01S of the sponsor where in both studies, participants are between 9-26-year-old. In the first project, participants have their overnight sleep recorded for 2-3 consecutive nights using an at-home wearable sleep device (DREEM3 headband). In the second project, participants undergo a single 3T MRI scan session which includes the inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihmt) sequence, which is a novel, myelin-specific sequence. Participants also complete a survey battery (which includes the beck's depression inventory) at baseline and at yearly follow-up visits. As participants are between 9-26 years of age in both studies, there is often overlap in enrollment and participants will need to have participated in both R01S to be a part of the proposed project. The aims of the proposal have public health significance in that they will help better understand the neurobiological mechanisms of depression risk in adolescents, a sensitive developmental period of the lifespan. The findings may inform future intervention studies, particularly in collaboration with clinicians. Collectively, the proposed development plan integrates training in developmental neuroscience, sleep, neuroimaging, statistical analysis, and grant writing. This structured training will culminate in multiple first-author manuscript submissions to per- reviewed journals and establish a strong research foundation for a competitive early career funding proposal. The fellowship offers protected time and cross-disciplinary mentorship to ensure the successful achievement of these goals.