Rajita Sinha, PhD
Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center and of NeuroscienceCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Deputy Chair of Psychiatry for Psychology, Psychiatry
Director, Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center
Chief, Psychology Section in Psychiatry
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Deputy Chair of Psychiatry for Psychology, Psychiatry
Director, Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center
Chief, Psychology Section in Psychiatry
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Deputy Chair of Psychiatry for Psychology, Psychiatry
Director, Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center
Chief, Psychology Section in Psychiatry
Contact Info
About
Titles
Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center and of Neuroscience
Deputy Chair of Psychiatry for Psychology, Psychiatry; Director, Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center; Chief, Psychology Section in Psychiatry
Biography
Rajita Sinha, Ph.D. is the Foundations Fund Endowed Professor in Psychiatry, and Professor in Neuroscience and in Child Study at the Yale University School of Medicine. She is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuroscientist, Deputy Chair of Psychiatry for Psychology and Chief of the Psychology Section in Psychiatry. She is the founding director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center that focuses on understanding the neurobiology and psychology of stress, trauma and resilient versus vulnerable biobehavioral coping mechanisms that promote neuropsychiatric diseases such as alcohol use disorders, substance use disorders, chronic pain, PTSD and other chronic diseases. She has developed novel stress, pain and craving provocation paradigms to understand mechanisms that drive these states and related pathologies and their impact on clinical addiction outcomes in alcohol use disorder, substance use disorders and related conditions. Her lab also develops and tests novel pharmacologic and integrative behavioral approaches to address chronic stress and addiction relapse risk to improve addiction treatment outcomes. These objectives are being accomplished through a series of NIH funded research projects and she has published widely on these topics. She is the 2020 recipient of the Research Society on Alcoholism's Distinguished Researcher Award, and the 2020 recipient of the James Tharpe Award for outstanding contributions to Addiction Research. She has served on many NIH special emphasis panels, review committees and workshops, presented at numerous national and international conferences, and her work is widely cited.
Appointments
Psychiatry
ProfessorPrimaryNeuroscience
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Connecticut Mental Health Center
- Diabetes Research Center
- Division of Addictions
- Division of Substance Abuse
- MR Center
- Neuroscience
- Neuroscience Research Training Program (NRTP)
- Psychiatry
- Psychology Section
- Psychotherapy Development Center
- South Asian Studies
- Stress & Addiction Clinical Research Program
- Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
- Yale Stress Center
- Yale Ventures
- Yale-Drug use, Addiction, and HIV prevention Research Scholars (DAHRS)
Education & Training
- PhD
- Yale University, Psychology/Clinical Respecialization (1992)
- PhD
- Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center (1990)
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Dongju Seo, PhD
Verica Milivojevic, PhD
Todd Constable, PhD
Chiang-Shan Ray Li, MD, PhD
Nia Fogelman, PhD
Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD
Stress, Psychological
Substance-Related Disorders
Chronic Disease
Neurobiology
Publications
2024
Mindfulness-based therapy for insomnia in Black women: a pilot randomized controlled trial
Nam S, Jeon S, Ordway M, Mazure C, Sinha R, Yau L, Iennaco J. Mindfulness-based therapy for insomnia in Black women: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal Of Behavioral Medicine 2024, 1-13. PMID: 39306634, DOI: 10.1007/s10865-024-00521-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPatient Health Questionnaire-9Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety InventoryInsomnia Severity IndexHealth educationMindfulness-based therapyBlack womenDepressive symptomsEfficacy of mindfulness-based therapyAttention control groupSleep health disparitiesPost-intervention changesState-Trait Anxiety InventoryPittsburgh Sleep Quality IndexInsomnia severity scoresSleep Quality IndexInsomnia Severity Index scoreBehavioral sleep strategiesRandomized controlled trialsClinically significant improvementPhysical activityHealth disparitiesHealthy eatingSleep hygiene practicesImprove anxietyWeekly sessionsNetwork state dynamics underpin basal craving in a transdiagnostic population
Ye J, Garrison K, Lacadie C, Potenza M, Sinha R, Goldfarb E, Scheinost D. Network state dynamics underpin basal craving in a transdiagnostic population. Molecular Psychiatry 2024, 1-10. PMID: 39183336, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02708-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsConnectome-based predictive modelingBrain responsesRegulation of affective statesSample of healthy controlsTransdiagnostic populationTransdiagnostic sampleHigher cravingMotivational stateCravingFMRI methodsAffective statesScan runsExperimental stimuliNetwork engagementBrain dynamicsClinical implicationsHealthy controlsBrainIndividual variationState dynamicsCharacterize individualsReplication datasetPsychopathologyFMRIEngagementStress and substance use disorders: risk, relapse, and treatment outcomes
Sinha R. Stress and substance use disorders: risk, relapse, and treatment outcomes. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2024, 134: e172883. PMID: 39145454, PMCID: PMC11324296, DOI: 10.1172/jci172883.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSubstance use disordersDrug-related environmentPathophysiology of addictionAdaptive stress responseSUD treatment outcomesAssociated with substance misuseTreatment outcomesStress-related alterationsDrug motivationIncreased cravingNeurobiological disruptionsMaladaptive copingRepeated stressorsTreatment implicationsSubstance misuseStress pathophysiologyStress responseDrug intakeDrug withdrawalRelapse riskDrug misuseIntervention developmentDisordersCravingRelapseDrawbacks to strengthening neural salience encoding: a link between cortisol and risky drinking.
Harris B, Sinha R, Goldfarb E. Drawbacks to strengthening neural salience encoding: a link between cortisol and risky drinking. Journal Of Neuroscience 2024, e1027242024. PMID: 39147591, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1027-24.2024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsAlcohol motivationInfluence later behaviorEnhance memorySalience responseFemale social drinkersAlcohol drinkingEmotionally salient experiencesResponse to alcoholDouble-blind cross-over designMemory biasSalient memoriesAlcohol-related eventsRisky alcohol drinkingSocial drinkersMotivated behaviorMaladaptive consequencesLateral behaviorCross-over designRisky drinkingMemoryRodent modelsHuman researchSalienceRisky drinkersCortisolSex differences in binge drinking-related higher morning cortisol levels and in prospective association with future alcohol intake
McGowan C, Krah M, Fogelman N, Seo D, Sinha R. Sex differences in binge drinking-related higher morning cortisol levels and in prospective association with future alcohol intake. Alcohol And Alcoholism 2024, 59: agae047. PMID: 39053499, DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agae047.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMorning cortisol levelsCortisol levelsHigher morning cortisol levelsHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axisSex differencesReports of alcohol consumptionProblematic drinking behaviorAlcohol consumptionAverage cortisol levelsBasal cortisol levelsAlcohol intakeHeavy alcohol useChronic alcohol consumptionHPA axisDrinking behaviorNeuroimaging scansPeripheral cortisolAlcohol useStress systemBinge drinkingMorning cortisolStress hormonesMorning plasma cortisolBingeNon-significant relationshipM68 Individuals With Cannabis Use Disorder Display Altered Parasympathetic HRV During Waking and Sleeping Hours Relative to Light Cannabis Users
Pearlman M, Wemm S, Pearlman M, Liston J, Sinha R. M68 Individuals With Cannabis Use Disorder Display Altered Parasympathetic HRV During Waking and Sleeping Hours Relative to Light Cannabis Users. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110348. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110348.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchM75 Co-Occurrence of Cannabis Use and Cigarette Smoking Accelerates Epigenetic Age
Bradley B, Cheng Y, Liang X, Sinha R, Xu K. M75 Co-Occurrence of Cannabis Use and Cigarette Smoking Accelerates Epigenetic Age. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110355. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110355.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchS143 Traumatic Events, Chronic Pain, and Multiple Substance Use in Women With Poly-Substance Use Disorder
Fogelman N, Tate M, Wemm S, Vacey E, Bera S, Hermes G, Swain J, Fox H, Sinha R. S143 Traumatic Events, Chronic Pain, and Multiple Substance Use in Women With Poly-Substance Use Disorder. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110254. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110254.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLow‐calorie diet‐induced weight loss is associated with altered brain connectivity and food desire in obesity
Hoang H, Lacadie C, Hwang J, Lam K, Elshafie A, Rosenberg S, Watt C, Sinha R, Constable R, Savoye M, Seo D, Belfort‐DeAguiar R. Low‐calorie diet‐induced weight loss is associated with altered brain connectivity and food desire in obesity. Obesity 2024, 32: 1362-1372. PMID: 38831482, PMCID: PMC11211061, DOI: 10.1002/oby.24046.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsFunctional magnetic resonance imagingIntrinsic connectivity distributionDiet-induced weight lossBrain connectivityAssociated with altered brain connectivityLow-calorie dietEating behavior changesShort-term low-calorie dietRight hippocampusTemporal cortexBrain networksWeight lossBrain clustersEffects of diet-induced weight lossGroup differencesFood desireGlucose levelsDiagnosis of type 2 diabetesBehavioral changesMagnetic resonance imagingType 2 diabetesBrainLeptin levelsFood intakeResonance imagingBrain correlates and functional connectivity linking stress, autonomic dysregulation, and alcohol motivation
Seo D, Martins J, Sinha R. Brain correlates and functional connectivity linking stress, autonomic dysregulation, and alcohol motivation. Neurobiology Of Stress 2024, 31: 100645. PMID: 38933283, PMCID: PMC11201348, DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100645.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsAutonomic nervous system disruptionAlcohol use disorderFunctional magnetic resonance imagingHigh-risk drinkingSocial drinkersFunctional connectivityLow-risk drinkingAlcohol motivationAutonomic arousalDevelopment of alcohol use disordersNeural correlates of stressNon-dependent social drinkersWhole-brain correlation analysesResponse to stress exposureAlcohol taste testFrontal-striatal regionsStress-induced cravingVentromedial prefrontal cortexBehaviors associated with stressAnterior cingulate cortexDecreased functional connectivityExposure to stressAutonomic nervous systemAlcohol intakeHazardous alcohol use
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Novel Real-world Methods in Social Drinkers and AUD (ALR)
HIC ID2000031842RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2023Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18+ yearsPrazosin for Alcohol Use Disorder
HIC ID2000029805RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date01/15/2026Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 70 yearsGLP-1 analogue effects on food cues, stress, motivation for highly palatable foods, and weight
HIC ID2000027868RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 55 yearsCharacterizing Subjective and Physiological Responses to Stress and Pain and Cognitive Learning and Executive Function
HIC ID2000026626RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2023Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 50 years
News & Links
Media
- Higher the cumulative stress exposure, greater the reduction in brain volume in specific regions of the medial, anterior and lateral prefrontal cortex, and in the insula and striatum (shown in yellow blobs). These are regions involved in emotion, reward and motivation processing. Ansel et al., Biological Psychiatry 2011.
News
- August 06, 2024Source: The New York Times
Can Stress Really Give You a Round ‘Cortisol Face?’
- May 23, 2024Source: Psychology Today
Naltrexone for Both Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorders
- May 20, 2024Source: Journal of Behavioral Medicine
Childhood Adversity, Accelerated GrimAge, and Associated Health Consequences
- May 06, 2024Source: Yale News
Brain Activity Related to Craving and Heavy Drinking Differs Across Sexes
Related Links
- AARP Bulletin Today on how stress can impact your health - Published 5/1/2009
- Even in the healthy, stress causes brain to shrink, Yale study shows
- Gender in the mix: Under stress, men crave alcohol more than women do - The Los Angeles Times, Health section (5/19/08)
- Link between stress and alcohol craving in alcoholics struggling to achieve recovery - Neuropsychopharmacology, 6/18/08
- Yale Stress Center