The SAGA Lab (Sex And Gender in Addiction Lab) is dedicated to advancing our understanding of how sex and gender differences influence the development, maintenance, and treatment of addiction and other psychiatric disorders. Recognizing that women, transgender, and gender-diverse individuals are often underrepresented in addiction research, the lab aims to address this gap by employing a range of innovative methodologies-including neuroimaging, lab-based assessments, and qualitative interviews-to uncover the unique mechanisms underlying substance use disorders across different gender groups.

A core focus of the lab is to identify both biological and sociocultural factors that contribute to addiction vulnerability and treatment outcomes. For example, current projects funded by ZonMw GGZ and NWO XS SSH grants investigate sex- and gender-specific predictors of alcohol use in clinical and at-risk populations. These studies conducted together with Anja Huizink, Brooke Slawinski and Alexandru-Constantin Hanches,   combine laboratory measurements of alcohol cue and stress reactivity (such as subjective responses, heart rate variability, and stress hormones) with ecological momentary assessment to explore real-world predictors of drinking behavior.

Another major project, funded by a BBRF Young Investigator grant, examines sex differences in the acute neural effects of guanfacine-a medication with potential for treating alcohol use disorder. The lab also collaborates with the Memory Modification Lab (Amsterdam UMC) to test novel interventions for smoking cessation, such as 3MDR and cTBS.

Beyond substance use, the SAGA Lab participates in the BootStRaP consortium, together with  Prof. Anja Huizink, Imke Jansen and Pim Widdershoven, a Europe-wide initiative aimed at reducing harmful internet use among adolescents and understanding its social impact. Additional collaborations focus on the interplay between stress and problematic alcohol use, using heart rate variability as a marker, and on long-term outcomes of ADHD, with special attention to sex and gender differences (together with Jaap Oosterlaan, Marjolein Luman, Siri Noordermeer and Noa van der Plas).

By systematically investigating these differences, the SAGA Lab strives to pave the way for more personalized, gender-sensitive approaches to addiction care, ensuring that interventions are tailored to the distinct needs of all individuals affected by these disorders

EMPLOYEES

• Dr. Anne Marije Kaag, Assistant Professor
• Alexandru Constatin-Hanches, PhD
• Pim Widdershoven, PhD
• Insan Firdaus, PhD
• Laia Alonso-Marmelstein, Student Assistant
• Sissi Viiri, Student Assistant