The Science of Drugs, Addictions and the Brain
Stephen L. Dewey, Ph.D.
Neuroscientist and Research Professor,
New York University School of Medicine
Dr. Stephen L. Dewey received his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship in the Neurology Department at Stony Brook University. During his 23-year tenure at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Dr. Dewey conducted research on the effects of addictive drugs on the human brain. These studies led to the development of an effective pharmacologic treatment for addiction – currently in clinical trials. In 1992, Dr. Dewey joined the faculty in the Psychiatry Department in the School of Medicine at New York University. In 2009, Dr. Dewey moved his research team to the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health. Dr. Dewey has published more than 250 peer-reviewed scientific research articles, book chapters, and abstracts.
Dr. Dewey’s message is science-based, objective, and delivered with a sense of urgency, compassion and caring that commands attention. He has put virtually every drug of abuse to the test on the brain to tell the story of what these substances do to its function and structure. His findings have led to a deep understanding of how the brain can so easily and permanently be altered by chronic exposure to drugs and suggest that even occasional use can permanently alter its inner workings
Recently, Dr. Dewey accepted an appointment to the Suffolk County Board of Health where he hopes to continue his education efforts in the fight against drug abuse. Dr. Dewey’s research has been featured on 20/20, Dateline, Good Morning America, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, FOX News, News 12 Long Island, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Newsday.
