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 Core
- 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 Research Interests
ORCID
0000-0003-3012-4349
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Dongju Seo, PhD
Verica Milivojevic, PhD
Nia Fogelman, PhD
Stephanie Wemm, PhD
Todd Constable, PhD
Zachary Harvanek, MD, PhD
Stress, Psychological
Substance-Related Disorders
Chronic Disease
Neurobiology
Publications
2025
1771-P: Influence of Stressful and Traumatic Life Events and Chronic Stress on Ad-lib Sweet Food Intake and Its Relationship to Obesity
DOYLE E, FOGELMAN N, JOSEPH K, HU P, JASTREBOFF A, SINHA R. 1771-P: Influence of Stressful and Traumatic Life Events and Chronic Stress on Ad-lib Sweet Food Intake and Its Relationship to Obesity. Diabetes 2025, 74 DOI: 10.2337/db25-1771-p.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTraumatic life eventsCumulative Adversity InterviewLife eventsChronic stressSweet food intakeCue contextLife traumaAcute stressCumulative stressful life eventsScript-driven imageryFood ad libitumRecent life eventsStressful life eventsTotal life eventsSnack foods ad libitumSweet food consumptionFood intakeEffects of stressChronic stress scoresStress scoresFood cuesCommunity adultsNeutral contextsCue conditionTraumatic eventsPregnenolone reduces provoked craving and cocaine use in men and women with cocaine use disorder: A pilot trial
Sakmar E, Wemm S, Fogelman N, Hermes G, Sinha R, Milivojevic V. Pregnenolone reduces provoked craving and cocaine use in men and women with cocaine use disorder: A pilot trial. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2025, 274: 112765. PMID: 40570771, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112765.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCocaine use disorderCocaine useNeuroactive steroidsUse disorderTreatment of cocaine use disorderCocaine use outcomePregnenolone levelsTreatment-seeking individualsDays of cocaineChronic cocaine useExposure to stressPreg groupCocaine cuesCocaine cravingCraving responsesNeutral cuesInduce cravingCravingWeek 2CocaineChronic treatmentPilot findingsCocaine amountPrecursor pregnenoloneLinear mixed effects models1761-P: Sex Differences in Emotion Regulation, Leptin, and Eating Behavior in Response to Stress and Food Cues
HORVATH-DIANO C, DAUGINIKAS E, HEILNER E, SAKMAR E, SINHA R, HARVANEK Z. 1761-P: Sex Differences in Emotion Regulation, Leptin, and Eating Behavior in Response to Stress and Food Cues. Diabetes 2025, 74 DOI: 10.2337/db25-1761-p.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEmotion regulationResponse to stressEating behaviorsSex differencesLaboratory sessionsFunding National Institutes of HealthSex-specific effectsStress-related eating behaviorFood cuesBehavioral therapyCue conditionEffect of genderEmotionsPersonal stressHormone samplingSnack testAssociated with lower leptinMultiple pre-CuesSignificant interactionAd libAssociated with lower totalSessionsHigher leptinAcute Physiology649-P: Sex Differences in Predictors of Food Craving, Eating Behavior, and Weight Changes Assessed Longitudinally over a 24-Month Period
DAUGINIKAS E, HORVATH-DIANO C, HEILNER E, SAKMAR E, SINHA R, HARVANEK Z. 649-P: Sex Differences in Predictors of Food Craving, Eating Behavior, and Weight Changes Assessed Longitudinally over a 24-Month Period. Diabetes 2025, 74 DOI: 10.2337/db25-649-p.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEmotion regulationEating behaviorsSex differencesOvereating behaviorFood cravingsResilience factorsDutch Eating Behavior QuestionnaireEmotion Regulation ScaleFood Craving InventoryProblems Experienced questionnaireEating Behavior QuestionnairePerceived Stress ScaleImpact eating behaviorRegulation ScaleCoping OrientationCravingWeight gainBehavior QuestionnaireObesity riskStress ScaleTarget stressEmotionsEatingLinear mixed-effects modelsReduce obesity riskDysregulated responses to stress and alcohol cues in cortico-striatal-limbic regions in social drinkers with early trauma
Heilner E, Sinha R, Eringros N, Constable R, Seo D. Dysregulated responses to stress and alcohol cues in cortico-striatal-limbic regions in social drinkers with early trauma. Journal Of Neural Transmission 2025, 1-16. PMID: 40500419, DOI: 10.1007/s00702-025-02961-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFunctional magnetic resonance imagingAlcohol cuesEarly traumaSocial drinkersResponse to stressNeurobehavioral responses to stressDysregulated responses to stressNeutral cue exposureReward processing regionsReward-related disordersEmotional provocation taskPosterior cingulate cortexAlcohol-related disordersDecreased activityCraving ratingsDorsolateral PFCPrefrontal regulationAnterior PFCCue exposureReward processingEmotional reactivityPrefrontal regionsCingulate cortexNeural correlatesCue responsesExamining the moderating role of intolerance of uncertainty on pain tolerance and craving in patients with chronic pain and alcohol use disorder
Radoman M, Heilner E, McGowan C, Neree-Thompson B, Sakmar E, Sinha R. Examining the moderating role of intolerance of uncertainty on pain tolerance and craving in patients with chronic pain and alcohol use disorder. Alcohol 2025, 127: 55-61. PMID: 40513686, DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.06.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsIntolerance of uncertaintyAlcohol use disorderAlcohol use disorder groupAlcohol cravingCraving responsesUse disorderSelf-report measures of IUAlcohol-seeking behaviorMeasures of IUPain toleranceSelf-report measuresPain-related stressChronic painFifty-five adultsCognitive traitsCravingPotential treatment targetCoping behaviorsSubjective painExperimental sessionsLower pain toleranceModerating rolePsychological factorsTreatment targetControl conditionSex and hormonal effects on drug cue-reactivity and its regulation in human addiction
Huang Y, Butelman E, Ceceli A, Kronberg G, King S, McClain N, Wong Y, Boros M, Drury K, Sinha R, Alia-Klein N, Goldstein R. Sex and hormonal effects on drug cue-reactivity and its regulation in human addiction. Biological Psychiatry 2025 PMID: 40441339, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.05.016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsDrug cue-reactivityCue-reactivityPrefrontal cortexFrontal eye fieldCue-induced drug cravingVentromedial prefrontal cortexCocaine use disorderMedial prefrontal cortexAnterior prefrontal cortexDrug cravingHuman addictsUse disorderFunctional MRIEye fieldLuteal phaseCravingDevelopment of personalized treatmentsLate-follicularFollicular phaseReappraisalVmPFCDlPFCHormonal effectsProtective factorsAddiction623. Alcohol Use Disorder is Associated With Disruptions in Neurohormonal Signaling Pathways
Harvanek Z, Hart R, Guarnaccia J, Sinha R. 623. Alcohol Use Disorder is Associated With Disruptions in Neurohormonal Signaling Pathways. Biological Psychiatry 2025, 97: s355. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.02.862.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRace-Related Differences in Protective Effects of Emotion Regulation Against GrimAge Acceleration Are Driven by Assaultive Trauma
Chowdhary A, Holloway T, Xu K, Sinha R, Harvanek Z. Race-Related Differences in Protective Effects of Emotion Regulation Against GrimAge Acceleration Are Driven by Assaultive Trauma. Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice And Policy 2025 PMID: 40232770, DOI: 10.1037/tra0001888.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEmotion regulationLifetime adversityBlack participantsAssess emotion regulationEmotion regulation difficultiesEmotion Regulation ScaleSignificant three-way interactionEffects of adversityBlack adultsThree-way interactionAdversity InventoryRegulation difficultiesRegulation ScaleGrimAge accelerationRegulate emotionsAssaultive traumaTraumatic eventsRace-related differencesNon-Hispanic black adultsWhite participantsEmotionsAdversityRacial differencesCross-sectional studyRace-related disparities512 Predicting outcomes of lifestyle and stress reduction interventions for obesity with DNA methylation and psychological measures
Harvanek Z, Li C, Xu K, Jastreboff A, Sinha R. 512 Predicting outcomes of lifestyle and stress reduction interventions for obesity with DNA methylation and psychological measures. Journal Of Clinical And Translational Science 2025, 9: 150-150. PMCID: PMC12050514, DOI: 10.1017/cts.2024.1093.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStress reduction interventionsReduction interventionsLinear mixed modelsActivity counselingLifestyle interventionPsychological measuresObesity-related outcomesIntervention control groupBaseline psychological measuresEffects of lifestyleYears of obesityRisk of comorbiditiesEpigenetic age accelerationNumerous health issuesAssociated with obesityPost-interventionRandomized-controlled trialsReduce obesityHealth issuesYear follow-upDecreased riskHOMA-IRLifestylePsychological factorsIntervention
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Prazosin 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
- July 01, 2025
Graduate Spotlight: Raghav Sehgal's Journey Through Yale's CBB PhD Program
- April 28, 2025Source: WTNH-TV News 8
April is Stress Awareness Month
- March 14, 2025Source: Time
Why Your Cortisol Levels Shouldn’t Stress You Out
- December 27, 2024Source: USA Today
The holidays can be stressful. Tips for managing the season (and all year long).
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