Mood variability during adolescent development and its relation to sleep and brain development

Abstract

Background: Mood swings, or mood variability, are associated with negative mental health outcomes. Since adolescence is a time when mood disorder onset peaks, mood variability during this time is of significant interest. Understanding biological factors that might affect mood variability, such as sleep and structural brain development, could elucidate the mechanisms underlying mood disorders. Methods: Data from the longitudinal Leiden Self-Concept study (N=171) over 5 timepoints was used to study the association between sleep, brain structure, and mood variability in healthy adolescents aged 11-21 at baseline in this pre-registered study. Sleep was measured both objectively, using actigraphy, as well as subjectively, using a daily diary self-report. Negative mood variability was defined as day-to-day negative mood swings over a period of 5 days after an MRI scan. Results: It was found that negative mood variability peaked in mid-adolescence, and average negative mood showed a similar pattern. Sleep duration (subjective and objective) generally decreased throughout adolescence. Mood variability was not associated with sleep, but average negative mood was associated with higher self-reported lower energy. In addition, higher thickness in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) compared to same-age peers, suggesting a delayed thinning process, was associated with higher negative mood variability in early and mid-adolescence. Lastly, higher mood variability preceded higher levels of anxiety and depression, as well as current anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Together, this study provides an insight into the development of mood variability and its association with brain structure.

Cross-Sectional and Descriptive Study on the Challenges and Awareness of Hispanic Parents Regarding Their Adolescents’ Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Conversely, about 40% of Hispanic adolescents reported feelings of worry, anger, loneliness, or frequent crying during the pandemic. While most negative mood changes among adolescents are not necessarily indicative of severe mental health issues, some reported symptoms may be suggestive of depression or anxiety [49,50].…”

A cognitive-computational account of mood swings in adolescence

“…Several age-comparative studies using EMA or e-diary methods (Box 1) find more frequent mood changes, operationalized as mood variability and mood instability (Glossary), particularly in mid-adolescence as compared to early [39,40], or late adolescence [40,41]. Of note, there is evidence for more pronounced mood variability in girls than in boys [39][40][41][42].…”

Within‐person biological mechanisms of mood variability in childhood and adolescence

“…Mood variability, which is defined as the day‐to‐day fluctuation in positive and negative mood states, is an important psychological state that differs between individuals and changes with developmental stages. Understanding mood variability is important as specifically negative mood variability is often associated with increased feelings of anxiety and depression and precedes future symptoms of anxiety and depression (Maciejewski et al, 2014 ; Toenders et al, 2022 ). Prior research showed that negative mood variability shows a peak in adolescence, possibly reflecting a period in which more day‐to‐day fluctuation in negative mood is more prevalent (Maciejewski et al, 2015 ; Toenders et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Understanding mood variability is important as specifically negative mood variability is often associated with increased feelings of anxiety and depression and precedes future symptoms of anxiety and depression (Maciejewski et al, 2014 ; Toenders et al, 2022 ). Prior research showed that negative mood variability shows a peak in adolescence, possibly reflecting a period in which more day‐to‐day fluctuation in negative mood is more prevalent (Maciejewski et al, 2015 ; Toenders et al, 2022 ). This peak is specifically strong in females in mid‐adolescence (Toenders et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Prior research showed that negative mood variability shows a peak in adolescence, possibly reflecting a period in which more day‐to‐day fluctuation in negative mood is more prevalent (Maciejewski et al, 2015 ; Toenders et al, 2022 ). This peak is specifically strong in females in mid‐adolescence (Toenders et al, 2022 ). Average negative mood shows a peak in the same period and mood disorders often have their onset in adolescence (Kessler et al, 2005 ) and are more prevalent among females (Merikangas et al, 2009 ).…”