Psychopharmacology Maastricht
The psychopharmacology department at Maastricht University focuses on the cognitive, behavioral, and biological effects of various substances, ranging from pharmaceutical to recreational drugs.
Learn More
Maastricht Psychedelic Symposium
On May 24, the Maastricht Psychedelic Research Team organized a mini-symposium on psychedelics. We welcomed two international speakers: Prof. dos Santos and Prof. Bouso from Brazil and Spain to discuss their ayahuasca and ibogaine research. We also had several internal speakers: presenting on mystical vs. autobiographical psychedelic experiences (Dr Kangaslampi), microdosing (Ms. Haijen), and 5-MeO-DMT (Mr. Reckweg).
Click below to watch the entire symposium
Read about our new paper on the neurological origins of a visual psychedelic hallucination
Congratulations to Zeus Tipado on his newly published paper that introduces a new theory as to why a person experiences a visual trip on psychedelics.
Read The PaperParticipate in our studies!
We're always conducting research in our department and we're frequently looking for participants to be a part of science! If you're interested, look at the studies that we are currently conducting.
View All Studies
Our Scientists
Hongyu Zhao, MSc
My name is Hongyu, and I am a researcher from China. After completing my undergraduate degree in anesthesiology and obtaining a master's degree in psychiatry from a prestigious medical university in China.
Dr. C. Rob Markus
I became an expert on the relation between stress, brain (gene) vulnerability and the development of cognitive-affective complaints/disorders as well as in testing (claims about) dietary treatment/assessment methods.
Prof. Jan Ramaekers
I work as a professor in psychopharmacology at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. My research combines methods from psychopharmacology, forensic toxicology and cognitive neuroscience to determine drug induced changes in human performance.
Dr. Eef Theunissen
Cognition, Synthetic Cannabinoids, Drugs and Driving
I began my Ph.D. journey in 2001 at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Maastricht. My research focused on investigating the sedating and stimulating effects of antihistamines, with a particular emphasis on their...
Aedan O’Shea, MSc
I have a long standing interest in unravelling the therapeutic mechanisms of Psychedelics, and in this project I will investigate the effect of Psychedelic drug exposure in humans on miRNA’s transported in neuron-derived Extracellular Vesicles...
Prof. Arjan Blokland
Cognition, Learning & Memory, Acetylcholine
I studied Psychology at the Radboud University (Nijmegen, NL). After receiving my PhD in Maastricht in 1992, I did a post doc at the University of Cambridge in 1992.
Katharina Lege, MSc
Neuroimaging, Consciousness, Cannabinoids
Coming from a background of psychology and clinical neuroscience, I developed a strong interest in altered states of the mind as in mediation or yoga practices.
Eline Haijen, MSc
ADHD, Microdosing, Psychedelics
I am a PhD candidate in the Psychopharmacology in Maastricht research group at the Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology at Maastricht University. I am from a little village close to Maastricht.
Dr. Rudy Schreiber
CNS Drug Discovery, Research Domain Criteria
I started my career in central nervous system drug discovery in 1993 and subsequently progressed from bench scientist to senior leadership roles at global pharmaceutical companies
Psychedelic Research
The use patterns of novel psychedelics: experiential fingerprints of substituted phenethylamines, tryptamines and lysergamides
→
Improving cognitive functioning in major depressive disorder with psychedelics: A dimensional approach
→
Cannabis Research
Cannabis induced increase in striatal glutamate associated with loss of functional corticostriatal connectivity
Cannabis, Glutamate, Functional Connectivity
→
Rivastigmine but not vardenafil reverses cannabis-induced impairment of verbal memory in healthy humans
→
Medicinal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (dronabinol) impairs on-the-road driving performance of occasional and heavy cannabis users but is not detected in Standard Field Sobriety Tests
→
Intoxication by a synthetic cannabinoid (JWH-018) causes cognitive and psychomotor impairment in recreational cannabis users
Cannabis, Cognition, Psychomotor
→
Get in Touch
We are always up for communicating with people that have interesting ideas or questions. If you want to contact our department, please reach out using this form below.