Helen Fox, PhD

Dr Helen Fox began her doctoral career examining the cognitive neuropsychological profiles of ecstasy club drug users while at the University of East London under the supervision of Drs Andy Parrott and John Turner. She then came to Yale as a post doctoral fellow, where she worked with Dr Rajita Sinha establishing cognitive, neuroendocrine and biophysiological mechanisms underpinning drug craving and drug use in cocaine dependent and alcohol dependent individuals. She obtained a K-01 career development award in May 2010 to study the effects of alpha2 agonist, guanfacine HCl on cognitive processes and relapse in cocaine abusers, and an R01 award assessing the role of peripheral immune system cytokines in alcohol dependent individuals with and without depressive symptomatology. She is also conducting dexamethasone suppression/CRH stimulation challenge procedures on the same population of alcoholics, via an R03 award, to better delineate the discreet and converging stress system mechanisms associated with elevated craving. Following her faculty appointment, Dr Fox continues her work at the Yale Stress Center investigating pharmacotherapy interventions for cognition and immune system changes in addiction. She also continues her collaboration with the University of East London, examining stress and immune system markers in club drug users consuming novel psychoactive substances, including synthetic marijuana and synthetic cathinone derivatives.