Verica Milivojevic, PhD
Associate Professor of PsychiatryCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Early alcohol abstinence symptoms and the role of cumulative adversity
Fox H, Alcina J, Hyman S, Milivojevic V, Sinha R. Early alcohol abstinence symptoms and the role of cumulative adversity. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2025, 49: 2225-2238. PMID: 41021116, PMCID: PMC12519049, DOI: 10.1111/acer.70137.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol-dependent individualsCumulative lifetime adversityAbstinence symptomsLifetime adversitySymptom patternsCumulative adversityWeeks of inpatient treatmentAlcohol treatment outcomesAlcohol-dependent participantsInpatient alcoholism treatmentAlcohol use disorderAlcohol cravingAbstinence severityWithdrawal symptomsUse disorderMood statesInpatient participantsControl participantsAlcohol treatmentSymptom presentationTreatment admissionsInpatient treatmentAdverse experiencesModerating factorsAdversityPregnenolone 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 modelsNeuroendocrine 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 cortisolGamblingPregnenolone Effects on Cocaine Use in Individuals with Cocaine Use Disorder
Milivojevic V, Sakmar E, Fogelman N, Hermes G, Sinha R. Pregnenolone Effects on Cocaine Use in Individuals with Cocaine Use Disorder. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2025, 267: 112227. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112227.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPregnenolone 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 function
2024
Stability and Reliability of Repeated Plasma Pregnenolone Levels After Oral Pregnenolone Dosing in Individuals with Cocaine Use Disorder: Pilot Findings
Gao H, Magin Z, Fogelman N, Sinha R, Angarita G, Milivojevic V. Stability and Reliability of Repeated Plasma Pregnenolone Levels After Oral Pregnenolone Dosing in Individuals with Cocaine Use Disorder: Pilot Findings. Life 2024, 14: 1483. PMID: 39598281, PMCID: PMC11595496, DOI: 10.3390/life14111483.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCocaine use disorderSubstance use disordersUse disorderPregnenolone levelsTreatment of cocaine use disorderReduce alcohol cravingTreatment-seeking individualsAssociated across timeAdministration of pregnenoloneEight-week trialSignificant main effectAlcohol cravingPregnenolone administrationNegative health risksDouble-blind clinical trialMain effectPilot findingsLevels of pregnenoloneChronic dosingStudy medication doseMedication dosesDisordersCocainePilot studyStress biology
2023
Laboratory and Real-World Experimental Approaches to Understanding Alcohol Relapse
Milivojevic V, Sinha R. Laboratory and Real-World Experimental Approaches to Understanding Alcohol Relapse. Current Topics In Behavioral Neurosciences 2023, 72: 427-451. PMID: 37985542, DOI: 10.1007/7854_2023_456.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAlcohol use disorderUse disordersHuman laboratory proceduresHuman laboratory modelRelapse riskAlcohol cuesBiobehavioral markersPsychobiological mechanismsStress dysregulationChronic alcohol useAlcohol relapseAlcohol useEffective interventionsNovel interventionsStress biologyReal worldDisordersInterventionCuesSignificant implicationsSignificant treatment challengeHigher relapse riskAUDRisk factorsAdaptationTherapeutics for Substance-Using Women: The Need to Elucidate Sex-Specific Targets for Better-Tailored Treatments
Fox H, Milivojevic V, Sinha R. Therapeutics for Substance-Using Women: The Need to Elucidate Sex-Specific Targets for Better-Tailored Treatments. Handbook Of Experimental Pharmacology 2023, 282: 127-161. PMID: 37592081, DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_687.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSubstance-using womenExogenous progesteroneBetter tailor treatmentsStress-induced cravingFace of stressSex-specific targetsGender-related differencesAdrenergic medicationsStress-related adaptationClinical trialsSpecific treatmentMedication developmentAlcohol consumptionCompulsive drugBiobehavioral mechanismsDrinking historyMedical problemsInnovative medicationsMedicationsNovel targetWomenGuanfacineProgesteroneTreatmentEfficacyHypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal and autonomic response to psychological stress in abstinent alcohol use disorder individuals with and without depressive symptomatology
Syed S, Sinha R, Milivojevic V, MacDougall A, LaValle H, Angarita G, Fox H. Hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal and autonomic response to psychological stress in abstinent alcohol use disorder individuals with and without depressive symptomatology. Human Psychopharmacology Clinical And Experimental 2023, 38: e2867. PMID: 37165544, DOI: 10.1002/hup.2867.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol use disorderRelapse riskDepressive symptomatologyDepressive symptomsAutonomic responsesIndividual relapse riskChronic alcohol useDepressive pathophysiologyAdrenocorticotropic hormoneInhibitory systemPlasma measuresUse disordersClinical practicePhasic changesConsecutive daysAlcohol usePsychological stressStroop performanceDisorder individualsDrinking controlsSymptomatologyImagery exposureCounterbalanced orderSymptomsDepressionSex differences in neural responses to stress and drug cues predicts future drug use in individuals with substance use disorder
Smith K, Lacadie C, Milivojevic V, Fogelman N, Sinha R. Sex differences in neural responses to stress and drug cues predicts future drug use in individuals with substance use disorder. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2023, 244: 109794. PMID: 36758371, PMCID: PMC10024802, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109794.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSubstance use disordersDrug cuesFuture drug useDrug use daysCue exposureNeural responsesUse daysSex differencesVentromedial prefrontal cortexScript-driven imageryDrug cue exposureNeutral cue exposureWhole-brain analysisWhole-brain correlationUse disordersDrug use outcomesCue-induced anxietyBrain responsesHeart rateFMRI scansPrefrontal cortexDrug cravingDrug useBrain analysisBrain correlations