PhD Scientific Days 2025

Mental Health Sciences III.

Differential association between electrophysiological sleep and depression as a function of ADHD risk and pharmacotherapy in adolescents

Name of the presenter

Reicher Vivien

Institute/workplace of the presenter

Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research Group, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, RCNS; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, SE

Authors

Vivien Reicher, PhD^1,6,7, Boglárka Kertész², Róbert Bódizs³, Orsolya Szalárdy³, János M. Réthelyi⁴, Nóra Bunford⁵

1: Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research Group, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, RCNS; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, SE
2: Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University
3: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University
4: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University
5: Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research Group, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences
6: Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research Group, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, RCNS
7: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, SE

Text of the abstract

Youth with ADHD often have sleep problems, and these are especially pronounced in those who also show difficulties with emotion regulation (ED) and internalizing problems. Most studies rely on subjective measures (questionnaires), with few using objective tools like electroencephalography (EEG). Non-REM sleep slow-wave activity (SWA), an index of cortical maturation, remains underexplored in ADHD and co-occurring affective difficulties.

We examined the association between EEG sleep variables (sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, SWA) and affective problems (depression, ED) in adolescents aged 14 to 20 years (N=77, Mage=16.98, SD=1.37), as a function of ADHD and pharmacotherapy, controlling for age and sex. Sleep was measured during an at-home sleep assessment using the DREEM2 headband. Depression and ED were measured using the Youth Self-Report Form. ADHD risk was determined via parent-report on the ADHD Rating Scale-5.

In adolescents at-risk for ADHD –but not in adolescents not at-risk for ADHD– longer sleep onset latency was associated with higher depression scores (b=4.910, p<.001). SWA decreased with age, regardless of ADHD risk and pharmacotherapy status. In ever-medicated adolescents at-risk for ADHD –but not in medication-naïve, at-risk adolescents or in adolescents not at-risk–, higher SWA was associated with higher depression scores (b=.180, p=.003).

Findings align with the broader literature showing a differential association between sleep problems and depression in at-risk and not at-risk populations, as well as a decrease in SWA with age. A main novelty here is the association between SWA and depression in ever-medicated adolescents at-risk for ADHD. SWA could be a marker for better understanding the intersection of neurodevelopment and depression in ADHD.

Funding: University Research Scholarship Programme of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation from the source of the National Research, Developmental and Innovation Fund (2024-2.1.1-EKÖP-2024-00004 to VR), National Research, Development and Innovation Office of Hungary (Grant No. RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00011 to NB), Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund (TKP2021-EGA-25 to RB).