Dr Jan Ramaekers (J.G.)
Research profile
Research areas:
- Psychopharmacology, Clinical and Experimental
- Addiction, Drugs of abuse, impulse control
- Human drug trials, Human performance, behavioral toxicology
- Drugs and driving, Traffic psychology
Research projects
Research
Dr Jan Ramaekers has been co-promoter and principal investigator of a number of PhD research programs at the Faculty of Psychology & Neuroscience, Maastricht University. His work focuses on behavioral toxicology of drugs and combines methods from psychopharmacology, forensic toxicology and neuroscience to determine drug induced changes in human performance. Example of research lines include:
- Neurocognition in cannabis users: This line of research focuses on THC induced neurocognitive deficits and susceptibility for cannabis dependence as a function of cannabis use history, genetic variation in dopamine metabolism and cannabis cue exposure.
- Neuropsychopharmacology of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): This work focuses on cognitive impairments and pro-social effects of MDMA during intoxication and the neuropharmacology underlying MDMA induced changes in behavior.
- Impaired motorists: A range of placebo controlled studies have been conduced to assess drug induced driving impairment as determined in on-the-road driving tests and neurocognitive tasks. The work provides a strong scientific rationale for international harm classification systems of medicinal drug effects on driver safety and per se legislation for driving under the influence of drugs.
For more information on our research group:
www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Faculties/PsychologyAndNeuroscience/Theme1/Psychopharmacology1.htm
References to European research programs:
- Addiction and lifestyles in contemporary Europe (ALICE RAP): www.alicerap.eu
- Driving under the influence of drug (DRUID): www.druid-project.eu
Publications
Most recent publications:
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Devine, J. K., Schwartz, L., Hursh, S., Asin, J., de Vries, N., Vonk, P. E., Vermeeren, A., Donjacour, C. E. H. M., Vinckenbosch, F., Ramaekers, J. G., Janssen, H., Wang, G., Chen, D., Carter, L. P., Overeem, S., & Lammers, G. J. (2023). Psychomotor Vigilance Performance in Participants with Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Obstructive Sleep Apnea or Narcolepsy Compared with SAFTE-FAST Model Predictions. Neurology and Therapy, 12(1), 249-265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40120-022-00425-w
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Vinckenbosch, F., Lammers, G. J., Overeem, S., Chen, D., Wang, G., Carter, L. P., Zhou, K., Ramaekers, J. G., & Vermeeren, A. (2023). Effects of solriamfetol on on-the-road driving in participants with narcolepsy: A randomised crossover trial. Human Psychopharmacology-Clinical and Experimental, 38(1), [e2858]. https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.2858
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Wingelaar-Jagt, Y. Q., Bottenheft, C., Riedel, W. J., & Ramaekers, J. G. (2022). Effects of modafinil and caffeine on night-time vigilance of air force crewmembers: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811221142568
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Otgaar, H., Riesthuis, P., Ramaekers, J. G., Garry, M., & Kloft, L. (2022). The importance of the smallest effect size of interest in expert witness testimony on alcohol and memory. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, [980533]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.980533
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Bonnelle, V., Smith, W. J., Mason, N. L., Cavarra, M., Kryskow, P., Kuypers, K. P. C., Ramaekers, J. G., & Feilding, A. (2022). Analgesic potential of macrodoses and microdoses of classical psychedelics in chronic pain sufferers: a population survey. British Journal of Pain, 16(6), 619-631. [20494637221114962]. https://doi.org/10.1177/20494637221114962
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Bohn, A., Kiggen, M. H. H., Uthaug, M. V., van Oorsouw, K. I. M., Ramaekers, J. G., & van Schie, H. T. (2022). Altered States of Consciousness During Ceremonial San Pedro Use. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2022.2139502
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Vinckenbosch, F., Asin, J., de Vries, N., Vonk, P. E., Donjacour, C. E. H. M., Lammers, G. J., Overeem, S., Janssen, H., Wang, G., Chen, D., Carter, L. P., Zhou, K., Vermeeren, A., & Ramaekers, J. G. (2022). Effects of solriamfetol on on-the-road driving performance in participants with excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnoea. Human psychopharmacology, 37(6), [e2845]. https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.2845
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Hutten, N. R. P. W., Arkell, T. R., Vinckenbosch, F., Schepers, J., Kevin, R. C., Theunissen, E. L., Kuypers, K. P. C., McGregor, I. S., & Ramaekers, J. G. (2022). Cannabis containing equivalent concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) induces less state anxiety than THC-dominant cannabis. Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-022-06248-9
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Wingelaar-Jagt, Y. Q., Wingelaar, T. T., Riedel, W. J., & Ramaekers, J. G. (2022). Subjective Effects of Modafinil in Military Fighter Pilots During Deployment. Aerospace medicine and human performance, 93(10), 739-745. https://doi.org/10.3357/AMHP.6072.2022
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Nelissen, E., van Hagen, B. T. J., Argyrousi, E. K., van Goethem, N. P., Heckman, P. R. A., Paes, D., Mulder-Jongen, D. A. J., Ramaekers, J. G., Blokland, A., Schmidt, H. H. H. W., & Prickaerts, J. (2022). Soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat improves spatial memory in mice via peripheral mechanisms. Neuroscience Letters, 788, [136840]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136840
Other publications:
J.G. Ramaekers
Professor of Psychopharmacology and Behavioral Toxicology
Sectie Psychopharmacologie, Neuropsychologie & Psychopharmacologie, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience
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