Stephanie Wemm, PhD
Associate Research Scientist, PsychiatryCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Assessing Autonomic Regulation Under Stress with the Yale Pain Stress Test in Social Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder
Barreto S, McGowan C, Fogelman N, Sinha R, Wemm S. Assessing Autonomic Regulation Under Stress with the Yale Pain Stress Test in Social Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder. Behavioral Sciences 2025, 15: 1732. PMID: 41464075, PMCID: PMC12729474, DOI: 10.3390/bs15121732.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAlcohol use disorderUse disorderSocial drinkingSocial drinking controlsHeart rate variability recoveryPredictor of chronic illnessPre-stress baselineCold pressor testDSM-5 criteriaHeart rate variabilitySubstance use disordersEffects of stressAcute stress responseDSM-5New Haven areaAutonomic reactivityDrinking controlsAutonomic flexibilityStress exposureLevels of stressStress-related chronic diseasesChronic illnessTime-period effectsClinical careRepeated trialsDevelopment of the Yale pain stress test to elicit a multi-level stress response and assess stress adaptability
Fogelman N, Barreto S, McGowan C, Wemm S, Sinha R. Development of the Yale pain stress test to elicit a multi-level stress response and assess stress adaptability. Psychopharmacology 2025, 1-14. PMID: 41361589, DOI: 10.1007/s00213-025-06972-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCold pressor taskPredictor of chronic illnessPain tolerancePre-stress baselineAcute physiological stress responseStress-related illnessesAcute stress responseLevels of stressPain stressStress responseResilient copingWithin-subject experimentPhysiological stress responseHealthy copingBasal anxietyChronic illnessSubjective distressHigher DBPHigher SBPSubjective stressGreater reactivityLower painStress testPain ratingsComponents of resilienceThe Challenge of Retaining Gamblers in Treatment: Comparing CMBT and CBT
Wulfert E, Broussard J, Wemm S, Holzhauer C, Rubonis A. The Challenge of Retaining Gamblers in Treatment: Comparing CMBT and CBT. Cognitive And Behavioral Practice 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2025.08.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCognitive behavioral therapyCognitive behavioral therapy participantsGambling disorderBehavioral therapyMotivational interviewingTreatment-seeking participantsDrop-out rateSymptom reductionTreatment retentionTreatment-seekingGambling behaviorWeekly sessionsGamblingHigher motivationEffective treatmentDrop-outErroneous beliefsTreatment sessionsDisordersPre/post treatmentParticipantsRandomized Controlled TrialsSessionsFollow-upTwelve-month follow-up periodPregnenolone 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, PMCID: PMC12264926, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112765.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCocaine 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 modelsBetting on Change: An Analysis of Cognitive Motivational Behavior Therapy Versus Referral to Gamblers Anonymous for Gambling Disorder
Wulfert E, Wemm S, Broussard J. Betting on Change: An Analysis of Cognitive Motivational Behavior Therapy Versus Referral to Gamblers Anonymous for Gambling Disorder. Psychology Of Addictive Behaviors 2025, 39: 375-388. PMID: 40111861, PMCID: PMC12140906, DOI: 10.1037/adb0001063.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGambling disorderGamblers AnonymousSeverity of problem gamblingSecondary moderation analysisBehavioral therapyModeration analysisLess moneyEfficacy literatureGambling problemsAnchor participantsProblem gamblingGamblingPeriod relative to baselineLow readinessDisordersTreatment sessionsSessionsParticipantsAmount of moneyIncrease adherenceIndividualsCognitionReadinessSymptomsTreatmentNeuroendocrine responses and coupling to laboratory-induced stress in problem gambling and heavy smoking
Wemm S, Holzhauer C, Harrison L, Milivojevic V, Fogelman N, Cao Z, Wulfert E. Neuroendocrine responses and coupling to laboratory-induced stress in problem gambling and heavy smoking. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2025, 177: 107469. PMID: 40250213, PMCID: PMC12131328, DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107469.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTrier Social Stress TestHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axisAxis responseProblem gamblingPathophysiology of addictive disordersHPA axis responseSocial Stress TestHypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axisHealthy control participantsLaboratory-induced stressStress-related changesStress hormone cortisolHypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormonesAddictive disordersAddiction mechanismsLaboratory stressorSubstance addictionControl participantsNeuroactive steroidsNeuroendocrine responsesAttenuated cortisolPsychological featuresProblem gamblersHormone cortisolGamblingPositive affect amplifies integration within episodic memories in the laboratory and the real world
Pratt J, Wemm S, Harris B, Huang Y, Sinha R, Goldfarb E. Positive affect amplifies integration within episodic memories in the laboratory and the real world. Learning & Memory 2025, 32: a053971. PMID: 39870487, PMCID: PMC11801478, DOI: 10.1101/lm.053971.124.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPositive eventsReal worldEpisodic memoryEmotional eventsConsistent with past findingsTime of retrievalImpact of emotionsParticipants' emotional responsesMemory accuracyAssess memoryPositive affectExperiment 1Experiment 2Memory integrationEmotional responsesEmotional statesMemoryMemory structureNegative experiencesMemory featuresLaboratory environmentAccuracySmartphonePregnenolone effects on parasympathetic response to stress and alcohol cue provocation in treatment‐seeking individuals with alcohol use disorder
Gao H, Sinha R, Wemm S, Milivojevic V. Pregnenolone effects on parasympathetic response to stress and alcohol cue provocation in treatment‐seeking individuals with alcohol use disorder. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2025, 49: 619-628. PMID: 39779217, PMCID: PMC11928267, DOI: 10.1111/acer.15529.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol use disorderTreatment-seeking individualsAlcohol cuesAlcohol cravingResponse to stressPregnenolone groupUse disorderResponse to alcohol cuesGroup x condition interactionHigher alcohol cravingLinear mixed-effects modelsHeart rate variabilityHeart rate variability indicesAutonomic nervous system dysregulationChronic alcohol consumptionRandomized to placeboAutonomic nervous system responsesNervous system dysregulationCravingAlcohol's impactCondition interactionAssociated with autonomic nervous system dysregulationNervous system responsesAutonomic responsesEnhanced autonomic functionStress and Addictive Disorders: Drug- and Stressor-related Effects on Stress Biological and Psychological Response
Wemm S, Pearlman M, Sinha R. Stress and Addictive Disorders: Drug- and Stressor-related Effects on Stress Biological and Psychological Response. 2025, 145-162. DOI: 10.4135/9781529673913.n10.Books
2024
The effects of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use on subjective drug effects: A narrative review across methodologies
Bedillion M, Claus E, Wemm S, Fox H, Ansell E. The effects of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use on subjective drug effects: A narrative review across methodologies. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2024, 48: 988-999. PMID: 38641546, PMCID: PMC11238947, DOI: 10.1111/acer.15322.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsSAM useDrug effectsNaturalistic studySimultaneous alcoholSubstance useCombined effects of alcoholSubstance use disordersEffects of alcoholSubstance use historyFrequent substance useIndividual's subjective experienceReport drinking alcoholCannabis useNaturalistic settingsImpaired cognitionCannabisNarrative reviewYoung adultsDrinking alcoholSubjective experienceRecall biasUse historyIdentifying individualsAlcoholDisorders
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Investigating real-world stress-related mechanisms in heavy cannabis users
IRB ID2000034321RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2024Recruiting Participants
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Yale School of Medicine
2 Church St South Suite 209
New Haven, CT 06519
United States