Teen sleep habits may shape brain connectivity linked to behavior problems

New research suggests that how well adolescents sleep could influence how their brains function—and might even help predict whether they develop behavioral problems down the line. In a large study involving thousands of youth, researchers identified distinct brain connectivity profiles that were associated with different sleep patterns and levels of externalizing behaviors like aggression and impulsivity. The findings, published in Brain and Behavior, point to the possibility that improving sleep could be one way to support mental health during adolescence.

The study focused on a major brain system known as the default mode network, or DMN. This network is typically active during rest and self-reflection, and plays a central role in memory, planning, and internal thought. The researchers found that teens who got less sleep tended to show a distinctive pattern of brain connectivity—one that was also linked to greater risk of behavior problems a year later.

Adolescence is a period of intense neurological development, particularly in brain systems responsible for self-control, emotional regulation, and internal thought. During this time, changes in the DMN and its interaction with other networks are thought to be particularly important for mental health outcomes. Disruptions in these patterns have been linked to various psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

At the same time, sleep quality tends to decline during adolescence due to biological and social factors. Previous studies have indicated that poor sleep may impact brain development, but little is known about how sleep interacts with connectivity patterns across major networks, and whether these patterns relate to emerging symptoms of mental health problems. The researchers aimed to clarify these links by examining brain scans, sleep data, and behavioral symptoms in a large sample of youth.

“During adolescence, both neural functioning and sleep patterns undergo significant developmental changes,” explained senior author Assaf Oshri (a professor and director of the Georgia Center for Developmental Science at the University of Georgia) and lead author Linhao Zhang (a postdoctoral scholar at Vanderbilt University).

“One of the neural networks that has been linked to neuroregulatory behaviors such as sleep and risk for psychopathology is the DMN. The DMN comprises multiple brain regions and is linked to mind-wandering, decision making, and self-referential thoughts. While previous research has highlighted the importance of the DMN, little is known about individual differences in within-network DMN connectivity and its interactions with other higher-order networks. Moreover, it remains unclear how these neural connectivity patterns are uniquely associated with sleep and psychopathology in large, population-based samples of adolescents.”

The researchers drew on data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, a large, ongoing project that tracks brain and behavioral development in children across the United States. For this analysis, they focused on 2,811 participants, with an average age of about 12 years. Each participant wore a Fitbit device for up to three weeks to measure nightly sleep duration and efficiency. Resting-state brain activity was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging, and parents completed standardized questionnaires about their children’s behavior.

To explore brain connectivity, the team examined how the DMN interacted with four other key networks: the fronto-parietal network (involved in decision-making and working memory), the salience network (which helps detect and prioritize important information), and two attention networks that govern top-down and bottom-up attention processes. A statistical method known as latent profile analysis was used to group participants based on similarities in their brain connectivity patterns.

“This study employed advanced multilevel and multi-method approaches and represents the largest longitudinal adolescent neuroimaging study in the United States,” Oshri and Zhang noted. “It is further strengthened by the use of objectively measured sleep data collected through wearable devices to track adolescents’ sleep patterns.”

Four distinct patterns of brain network connectivity emerged from the analysis. The largest group of adolescents showed average levels of both within-network DMN connectivity and connections between the DMN and other networks. The second-largest group had low within-DMN connectivity but elevated connectivity between the DMN and other systems—especially the network responsible for goal-directed attention. A third group showed high internal DMN connectivity and low between-network activity, while the smallest group displayed high connectivity both within the DMN and across networks.

Sleep duration and efficiency tended to differ between these groups. Teens who slept less were more likely to belong to the “low within / high between” profile, a pattern thought to reflect disruption in internal network functioning and potentially compensatory activity across external networks. Those with lower sleep efficiency were more likely to belong to the “high within / low between” group, suggesting that different aspects of sleep may affect distinct neural pathways.

Importantly, brain connectivity patterns also predicted behavior. One year later, adolescents in the “low within / high between” group showed higher levels of externalizing behaviors, such as acting out or difficulty with impulse control. This relationship was not present at the time of the initial brain scan, suggesting that the effects of altered connectivity may unfold over time.

“Four distinct neural connectivity pattern groups were identified,” Oshri and Zhang told PsyPost. “Adolescents with shorter sleep duration were more likely to be classified into groups characterized by low within-network and high between-network connectivity. They also showed higher externalizing problems one year later.”

Demographic factors also played a role. Males and youth from racial or ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to belong to the “low within / high between” group, which also had the lowest average sleep duration and the highest level of behavioral issues one year later. These patterns echo past research showing that sleep disparities and differences in brain development can vary by sex and race.

But no clear associations were found between connectivity patterns and internalizing problems like anxiety or depression. “The lack of significant findings may be due to the sample, which consisted of early adolescents from community settings,” the researchers said. “Future research could extend our findings into clinical samples.”

The findings support a growing body of evidence suggesting that adolescent sleep habits are tied not just to daily functioning but to long-term patterns of brain development. In particular, insufficient or disrupted sleep may interfere with the internal organization of the DMN, which is thought to support reflection, emotional regulation, and self-control. When this network is not functioning efficiently, the brain may increase its reliance on other systems—perhaps to compensate for reduced internal coordination. This shift in brain dynamics may place youth at greater risk for behavioral problems over time.

The researchers also highlight that not all sleep issues affect the brain in the same way. Sleep duration and sleep efficiency were linked to different neural patterns, indicating that both quantity and quality of sleep matter. By using objective, multi-night data from wearable devices, the study offers a more reliable picture of how adolescent sleep affects the brain compared to past research based on self-reports.

While the study offers new insights, there are limitations to consider. The Fitbit devices used in the study, while practical for large-scale research, are not as precise as laboratory-based sleep studies like polysomnography. The researchers also focused on average connectivity within broad brain networks, without exploring how specific subregions may vary. Future studies could add more detailed analysis of sleep stages, such as REM and non-REM sleep, to better understand their distinct contributions to brain development.

Another limitation is the observational design. While the study indicates that sleep predicts certain brain connectivity patterns and behavioral changes, it cannot definitively show cause and effect. More longitudinal data and experimental interventions targeting sleep habits would be needed to establish whether improving sleep can actually change brain function and reduce behavioral risk.

Still, the results suggest that sleep may play a significant role in shaping how brain networks interact during a key developmental period. This interaction, in turn, appears to relate to the emergence of behavioral issues that can affect academic and social functioning. By identifying sleep as a modifiable factor, the findings could help guide prevention and early intervention strategies aimed at supporting adolescent mental health.Don’t use canvas for this.

“We aim to continue with the research and examine other domains of sleep health,” Oshri and Zhang said. “We are also interested in seeing how the neural connectivity patterns may change longitudinally.”

The study, “Latent Default Mode Network Connectivity Patterns: Associations With Sleep Health and Adolescent Psychopathology,” was authored by Linhao Zhang, Charles Geier, Ellen House, and Assaf Oshri.