Can stress patterns in teens predict a loss of joy?

NCT ID NCT07040449

NEW Recruiting now Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 17, 2026 · Last updated Aug 17, 2026

Summary

This study looks at how stress affects the brain and body of teenagers and whether these responses are linked to anhedonia—the loss of pleasure in things once enjoyed. Researchers will follow 192 adolescents aged 13 to 15 for 20 months, measuring brain activity, stress hormones, and heart rate during mildly stressful tasks. The goal is to see if different patterns of stress response can predict which teens develop anhedonia and how severe it becomes over time.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Psychosocial stress tasks (Montreal Imaging Stress Task and Trier Social Stress Test for Children)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could help identify early biological markers that predict which teens are at risk for anhedonia, potentially guiding future prevention or early intervention strategies.
What could go wrong: This is an observational study, not a treatment trial, so it won't directly change outcomes. The findings may not apply to all teens, and the measures are complex and exploratory.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Anhedonia Fractures, Stress

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT ANHEDONIA STRESS RESPONSE

Contacts and locations

Locations

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
RECRUITING

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States

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