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In the MARTA lab, we are currently focused on answering the following questions using self-report, interview, and neuroimaging methods:
How is reward processing altered in adolescents with depression?
What is mixed features depression and how does it relate to reward processing alterations?
What underlies impulsive behavior in adolescents with depression?
In the near future, we hope to examine how adolescent substance use begins/changes with depression.
Ongoing Studies
The PEARL Study (PI: Gonçalves)
The PEARL Study (PI: Gonçalves)
The Positive Emotion and Reward in Real Life (PEARL) study explores how everyday reward activities influence emotion in college students/adolescents varying in levels of depression. Using smartphone surveys and wearable sensors, we track how different types of activities affect moment-to-moment changes in positive emotion. This work aims to improve treatments like Behavioral Activation by identifying the kinds of activities that best support recovery for college students/adolescents.
Status: recruitment begins winter 2025/2026
External Studies
The MBA Study (PIs: Laudoucer, Diler)
The MBA Study (PIs: Laudoucer, Diler)
The Mood, Brain and Adolescence (MBA) study at the University of Pittsburgh examined why some adolescents with depression also experience manic symptoms ("mixed features depression"), which increases risk for impairment and suicidality. Using brain imaging, cognitive testing, and real-world measures of mood and behavior, adolescents were followed over time to understand how brain circuits involved in reward and emotion regulation are related to these symptoms. The goal was to identify subgroups of depressed youth, improve early detection of manic symptoms, and inform more personalized treatment approaches.
Status: data collection complete; data analysis ongoing
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