World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Rainer Spanagel

Rainer Spanagel

D-Index & Metrics

Medicine

D-Index
101
Citations
36659
World Ranking
7999
National Ranking
463

Rainer Spanagel publication distribution in Medicine in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Medicine in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Rainer Spanagel sits on this spectrum.

101–120 publications: 5 scientists 121–140 publications: 26 scientists 141–160 publications: 73 scientists 161–180 publications: 155 scientists 181–200 publications: 230 scientists 201–220 publications: 363 scientists 221–240 publications: 487 scientists 241–260 publications: 545 scientists 261–280 publications: 722 scientists 281–300 publications: 768 scientists 301–320 publications: 834 scientists 321–340 publications: 895 scientists 341–360 publications: 922 scientists 361–380 publications: 838 scientists 381–400 publications: 861 scientists 401–420 publications: 918 scientists 421–440 publications: 806 scientists 441–460 publications: 771 scientists 461–480 publications: 751 scientists 481–500 publications: 713 scientists 501–520 publications: 617 scientists 521–540 publications: 611 scientists 541–560 publications: 537 scientists 561–580 publications: 504 scientists 581–600 publications: 509 scientists 601–620 publications: 396 scientists 621–640 publications: 386 scientists 641–660 publications: 371 scientists 661–680 publications: 340 scientists 681–700 publications: 336 scientists 701–720 publications: 307 scientists 721–740 publications: 259 scientists 741–760 publications: 230 scientists 761–780 publications: 228 scientists 781–800 publications: 217 scientists 801–820 publications: 204 scientists 821–840 publications: 186 scientists 841–860 publications: 177 scientists 861–880 publications: 155 scientists 881–900 publications: 139 scientists 901–920 publications: 145 scientists 921–940 publications: 116 scientists 941–960 publications: 133 scientists 961–980 publications: 91 scientists 981–1,000 publications: 96 scientists 1,001–1,020 publications: 77 scientists 1,021–1,040 publications: 70 scientists 1,041–1,060 publications: 63 scientists 1,061–1,080 publications: 77 scientists 1,081–1,100 publications: 49 scientists 1,101–1,120 publications: 54 scientists 1,121–1,140 publications: 49 scientists 1,141–1,160 publications: 51 scientists 1,161–1,180 publications: 35 scientists 1,181–1,200 publications: 39 scientists 1,201–1,220 publications: 26 scientists 1,221–1,240 publications: 37 scientists 1,241–1,260 publications: 36 scientists 1,261–1,280 publications: 27 scientists 1,281–1,300 publications: 32 scientists 1,301–1,320 publications: 28 scientists 1,321–1,340 publications: 17 scientists 1,341–1,360 publications: 30 scientists 1,361–1,380 publications: 28 scientists 1,381–1,400 publications: 17 scientists 1,401–1,420 publications: 21 scientists 1,421–1,440 publications: 15 scientists 1,441–1,460 publications: 12 scientists 1,461–1,480 publications: 12 scientists 1,481–1,500 publications: 18 scientists 1,501–1,520 publications: 14 scientists 1,521–1,540 publications: 17 scientists 1,541–1,560 publications: 15 scientists 1,561–1,580 publications: 6 scientists 1,581–1,600 publications: 2 scientists 1,601–1,620 publications: 12 scientists 1,621–1,640 publications: 11 scientists 1,641–1,660 publications: 8 scientists 1,661–1,680 publications: 5 scientists 1,681–1,700 publications: 5 scientists 1,701–1,720 publications: 10 scientists 1,721–1,740 publications: 12 scientists 1,741–1,760 publications: 14 scientists 1,761–1,780 publications: 6 scientists 1,781–1,795 publications: 5 scientists 1,796+ publications: 100 scientists
101 publications 1,796+

This scientist: 502 publications — 58th percentile

58% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 1,796 publications or more.

Rainer Spanagel D-index placement in Medicine in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Medicine scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Rainer Spanagel sits on this spectrum.

70–71 D-Index: 226 scientists 72–73 D-Index: 391 scientists 74–75 D-Index: 574 scientists 76–77 D-Index: 730 scientists 78–79 D-Index: 891 scientists 80–81 D-Index: 972 scientists 82–83 D-Index: 1,027 scientists 84–85 D-Index: 1,003 scientists 86–87 D-Index: 960 scientists 88–89 D-Index: 970 scientists 90–91 D-Index: 922 scientists 92–93 D-Index: 839 scientists 94–95 D-Index: 808 scientists 96–97 D-Index: 779 scientists 98–99 D-Index: 668 scientists 100–101 D-Index: 611 scientists 102–103 D-Index: 630 scientists 104–105 D-Index: 513 scientists 106–107 D-Index: 541 scientists 108–109 D-Index: 445 scientists 110–111 D-Index: 429 scientists 112–113 D-Index: 400 scientists 114–115 D-Index: 393 scientists 116–117 D-Index: 318 scientists 118–119 D-Index: 302 scientists 120–121 D-Index: 287 scientists 122–123 D-Index: 255 scientists 124–125 D-Index: 256 scientists 126–127 D-Index: 252 scientists 128–129 D-Index: 230 scientists 130–131 D-Index: 179 scientists 132–133 D-Index: 168 scientists 134–135 D-Index: 163 scientists 136–137 D-Index: 159 scientists 138–139 D-Index: 134 scientists 140–141 D-Index: 134 scientists 142–143 D-Index: 118 scientists 144–145 D-Index: 109 scientists 146–147 D-Index: 106 scientists 148–149 D-Index: 74 scientists 150–151 D-Index: 79 scientists 152–153 D-Index: 80 scientists 154–155 D-Index: 87 scientists 156–157 D-Index: 57 scientists 158–159 D-Index: 74 scientists 160–161 D-Index: 69 scientists 162–163 D-Index: 60 scientists 164–165 D-Index: 53 scientists 166–167 D-Index: 39 scientists 168–169 D-Index: 42 scientists 170–171 D-Index: 32 scientists 172–173 D-Index: 39 scientists 174–175 D-Index: 40 scientists 176–177 D-Index: 28 scientists 178–179 D-Index: 19 scientists 180–181 D-Index: 23 scientists 182–183 D-Index: 31 scientists 184–185 D-Index: 18 scientists 186–187 D-Index: 20 scientists 188–189 D-Index: 22 scientists 190–191 D-Index: 13 scientists 192–193 D-Index: 21 scientists 194–195 D-Index: 12 scientists 196–197 D-Index: 12 scientists 198–199 D-Index: 14 scientists 200–201 D-Index: 15 scientists 202–203 D-Index: 13 scientists 204–205 D-Index: 10 scientists 206–207 D-Index: 8 scientists 208–209 D-Index: 4 scientists 210–211 D-Index: 12 scientists 212–213 D-Index: 11 scientists 214–215 D-Index: 10 scientists 216 D-Index: 4 scientists 217+ D-Index: 98 scientists
70 D-Index 217+

This scientist: 101 D-Index — 61st percentile

61% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 217 D-Index or more.

Overview

Rainer Spanagel is affiliated with Heidelberg University in Germany and has a research focus primarily in the fields of Neuroscience and Medicine, with substantial contributions to Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Clinical Psychology, and Pharmacology.

Their research topics extensively cover Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior, Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects, Epigenetics and DNA Methylation, Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes, Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling, Memory and Neural Mechanisms, and Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research.

Spanagel has published extensively in several scientific venues. Frequent publication outlets include bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) with 21 publications, Translational Psychiatry with 6, Psychopharmacology and Scientific Reports each with 5, and Addiction Biology with 4 publications.

Recent notable papers include the following:

  • "Medical cannabinoids: a pharmacology-based systematic review and meta-analysis for all relevant medical indications" (2022), BMC Medicine
  • "Cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system in reward processing and addiction: from mechanisms to interventions" (2020), Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience
  • "Psilocybin targets a common molecular mechanism for cognitive impairment and increased craving in alcoholism" (2021), Science Advances
  • "A methodological checklist for fMRI drug cue reactivity studies: development and expert consensus" (2022), Nature Protocols
  • "Psilocybin and LSD have no long-lasting effects in an animal model of alcohol relapse" (2020), Neuropsychopharmacology

Spanagel has frequently collaborated with several researchers, including Anita C. Hansson, Marcella Rietschel, Stephanie H. Witt, Marcus W. Meinhardt, and Wolfgang H. Sommer.

Best Publications

  • The dopamine hypothesis of reward: past and current status

    Rainer Spanagel;Friedbert Weiss

  • Opposing tonically active endogenous opioid systems modulate the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway

    Rainer Spanagel;Albert Herz;Toni S. Shippenberg

  • Impaired stress response and reduced anxiety in mice lacking a functional corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1

    Peter Timpl;Rainer Spanagel;Inge Sillaber;Adelheid Kresse

  • Alcoholism: a systems approach from molecular physiology to addictive behavior.

    Rainer Spanagel

  • Behavioural assessment of drug reinforcement and addictive features in rodents: an overview.

    Carles Sanchis-Segura;Rainer Spanagel

  • The IMAGEN study: reinforcement-related behaviour in normal brain function and psychopathology.

    G Schumann;E Loth;T Banaschewski;A Barbot

  • Neuropharmacology of alcohol addiction.

    V Vengeliene;A Bilbao;A Molander;R Spanagel

  • The clock gene Per2 influences the glutamatergic system and modulates alcohol consumption.

    Rainer Spanagel;Gurudutt N Pendyala;Carolina Abarca;Tarek Zghoul

  • Correlated gene expression supports synchronous activity in brain networks

    Jonas Richiardi;Jonas Richiardi;Andre Altmann;Anna-Clare Milazzo;Anna-Clare Milazzo;Catie Chang

  • Stress-induced anhedonia in mice is associated with deficits in forced swimming and exploration.

    Tatyana Strekalova;Rainer Spanagel;Dusan Bartsch;Fritz A Henn

  • The effects of opioid peptides on dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens : an in vivo microdialysis study

    Rainer Spanagel;Albert Herz;Toni S. Shippenberg

  • Cocaine sensitization and reward are under the influence of circadian genes and rhythm.

    Carolina Abarca;Urs Albrecht;Rainer Spanagel

  • Adolescent impulsivity phenotypes characterized by distinct brain networks.

    Robert Whelan;Patricia J Conrod;Patricia J Conrod;Jean-Baptiste Poline;Anbarasu Lourdusamy

  • Regulation of Monoamine Oxidase A by Circadian-Clock Components Implies Clock Influence on Mood

    Gabriele Hampp;Jürgen A. Ripperger;Thijs Houben;Isabelle Schmutz

  • Impaired long-term memory and NR2A-type NMDA receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity in mice lacking c-Fos in the CNS

    Alexander Fleischmann;Oivind Hvalby;Vidar Jensen;Tatyana Strekalova

  • Genome-wide association study of alcohol dependence.

    Jens Treutlein;Sven Cichon;Monika Ridinger;Norbert Wodarz

  • Withdrawal Phenomena and Dependence Syndrome After the Consumption of "Spice Gold"

    Ulrich S. Zimmermann;Patricia R. Winkelmann;Max Pilhatsch;Josef A Nees

  • Anti-craving compounds for ethanol: new pharmacological tools to study addictive processes.

    Rainer Spanagel;Walter Zieglgänsberger

  • Long-term alcohol self-administration with repeated alcohol deprivation phases: an animal model of alcoholism?

    R. Spanagel;S. M. Hölter

  • Cocaine-evoked synaptic plasticity: persistence in the VTA triggers adaptations in the NAc

    Manuel Mameli;Briac Halbout;Cyril Creton;David Engblom

Frequent Co-Authors

Wolfgang H. Sommer
Wolfgang H. Sommer Heidelberg University
Gunter Schumann
Gunter Schumann King's College London
Karl Mann
Karl Mann Heidelberg University
Falk Kiefer
Falk Kiefer Heidelberg University
Anita C. Hansson
Anita C. Hansson Central Institute of Mental Health
Andreas Heinz
Andreas Heinz Charité - University Medicine Berlin
Marcella Rietschel
Marcella Rietschel Heidelberg University
Tomáš Paus
Tomáš Paus University of Toronto
Herta Flor
Herta Flor Heidelberg University

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