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Granato A, Phillips WA, Schulz JM, Suzuki M, Larkum ME. Dysfunctions of cellular context-sensitivity in neurodevelopmental learning disabilities. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105688. [PMID: 38670298 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Pyramidal neurons have a pivotal role in the cognitive capabilities of neocortex. Though they have been predominantly modeled as integrate-and-fire point processors, many of them have another point of input integration in their apical dendrites that is central to mechanisms endowing them with the sensitivity to context that underlies basic cognitive capabilities. Here we review evidence implicating impairments of those mechanisms in three major neurodevelopmental disabilities, fragile X, Down syndrome, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Multiple dysfunctions of the mechanisms by which pyramidal cells are sensitive to context are found to be implicated in all three syndromes. Further deciphering of these cellular mechanisms would lead to the understanding of and therapies for learning disabilities beyond any that are currently available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Granato
- Dept. of Veterinary Sciences. University of Turin, Grugliasco, Turin 10095, Italy.
| | - William A Phillips
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Scotland FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Jan M Schulz
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Neuroscience & Rare Diseases Discovery, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Mototaka Suzuki
- Dept. of Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1098 XH, the Netherlands
| | - Matthew E Larkum
- Neurocure Center for Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany; Institute of Biology, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Keum D, Medina AE. The effect of developmental alcohol exposure on multisensory integration is larger in deeper cortical layers. Alcohol 2024:S0741-8329(24)00032-6. [PMID: 38417561 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are one of the most common causes of mental disability in the world. Despite efforts to increase public awareness of the risks of drinking during pregnancy, epidemiological studies indicate a prevalence of 1-6% in all births. There is growing evidence that deficits in sensory processing may contribute to social problems observed in FASD. Multisensory (MS) integration occurs when a combination of inputs from two sensory modalities leads to enhancement or suppression of neuronal firing. MS enhancement is usually linked to processes that facilitate cognition and reaction time, whereas MS suppression has been linked to filtering unwanted sensory information. The rostral portion of the posterior parietal cortex (PPr) of the ferret is an area that shows robust visual-tactile integration and displays both MS enhancement and suppression. Recently, our lab demonstrated that ferrets exposed to alcohol during the "third trimester equivalent" of human gestation show less MS enhancement and more MS suppression in PPr than controls. Here we complement these findings by comparing in vivo electrophysiological recordings from channels located in shallow and deep cortical layers. We observed that while the effects of alcohol (less MS enhancement and more MS suppression) were found in all layers, the magnitude of these effects were more pronounced in putative layers V-VI. These findings extend our knowledge on the sensory deficits of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongil Keum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland, School of Medicine. 655 Baltimore, St. Baltimore, MD, 21230
| | - Alexandre E Medina
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland, School of Medicine. 655 Baltimore, St. Baltimore, MD, 21230.
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3
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Leung ECH, Jain P, Michealson MA, Choi H, Ellsworth-Kopkowski A, Valenzuela CF. Recent breakthroughs in understanding the cerebellum's role in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Alcohol 2023; 119:37-71. [PMID: 38097146 PMCID: PMC11166889 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to alcohol during fetal development can lead to structural and functional abnormalities in the cerebellum, a brain region responsible for motor coordination, balance, and specific cognitive functions. In this systematic review, we comprehensively analyze a vast body of research conducted on vertebrate animals and humans over the past 13 years. We identified studies through PubMed and screened them following PRISMA guidelines. Data extraction and quality analysis were conducted using Covidence systematic review software. A total of 108 studies met our inclusion criteria, with the majority (79 studies) involving vertebrate animal models and 29 studies focusing on human subjects. Animal models included zebrafish, mice, rats, sheep, and non-human primates, investigating the impact of ethanol on cerebellar structure, gene/protein expression, physiology, and cerebellar-dependent behaviors. Additionally, some animal studies explored potential therapeutic interventions against ethanol-induced cerebellar damage. The human studies predominantly adopted cohort designs, exploring the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on cerebellar structure and function. Certain human studies delved into innovative cerebellar-based diagnostic approaches for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The collective findings from these studies clearly indicate that the cerebellum is involved in various neurophysiological deficits associated with FASD, emphasizing the importance of evaluating both cerebellar structure and function in the diagnostic process for this condition. Moreover, this review sheds light into potential therapeutic strategies that can mitigate prenatal alcohol exposure-induced cerebellar damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C H Leung
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Priyanka Jain
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Marisa A Michealson
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Hyesun Choi
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Alexis Ellsworth-Kopkowski
- Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States.
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Liu Y, Cao LX, Wang WY, Piao YR, Wang JY, Chu CP, Bing YH, Qiu DL. GLP-1 enhances hyperpolarization-activated currents of mouse cerebellar Purkinje cell in vitro. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1126447. [PMID: 37089690 PMCID: PMC10113493 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1126447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is mainly secreted by preglucagonergic neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius, which plays critical roles in regulation of neuronal activity in the central nervous system through its receptor. In the cerebellar cortex, GLP-1 receptor is abundantly expressed in the molecular layer, Purkinje cell (PC) layer and granular layer, indicating that GLP-1 may modulate the cerebellar neuronal activity. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which GLP1 modulates mouse cerebellar PC activity in vitro. After blockade of glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission in PCs, GLP1 increased the spike firing rate accompanied by depolarization of membrane potential and significantly depressed the after-hyperpolarizing potential and outward rectifying current of spike firing discharges via GLP1 receptors. In the presence of TTX and Ba2+, GLP1 significantly enhanced the hyperpolarized membrane potential-evoked instant current, steady current, tail current (I-tail) and hyperpolarization-activated (IH) current. Application of a selective IH channel antagonist, ZD7288, blocked IH and abolished the effect of GLP1 on PC membrane currents. The GLP1 induced enhancement of membrane currents was also abolished by a selective GLP1 receptor antagonist, exendin-9-39, as well as by protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors, KT5720 and H89. In addition, immunofluorescence detected GLP1 receptor in the mouse cerebellar cortex, mostly in PCs. These results indicated that GLP1 receptor activation enhanced IH channel activity via PKA signaling, resulting in increased excitability of mouse cerebellar PCs in vitro. The present findings indicate that GLP1 plays a critical role in modulating cerebellar function by regulating the spike firing activity of mouse cerebellar PCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
| | - Li-Xin Cao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
| | - Wei-Yao Wang
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medicine, Jilin Medical University, Jilin, Jilin, China
| | - Yong-Rui Piao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
| | - Jun-Ya Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
| | - Chun-Ping Chu
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medicine, Jilin Medical University, Jilin, Jilin, China
| | - Yan-Hua Bing
- Functional Experiment Center, College of Medicine, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
- *Correspondence: Yan-Hua Bing,
| | - De-Lai Qiu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medicine, Jilin Medical University, Jilin, Jilin, China
- De-Lai Qiu, ;
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Mathews E, Dewees K, Diaz D, Favero C. White matter abnormalities in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Focus on axon growth and guidance. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:812-821. [PMID: 33423552 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220980398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) describe a range of deficits, affecting physical, mental, cognitive, and behavioral function, arising from prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD causes widespread white matter abnormalities, with significant alterations of tracts in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus. These brain regions present with white-matter volume reductions, particularly at the midline. Neural pathways herein are guided primarily by three guidance cue families: Semaphorin/Neuropilin, Netrin/DCC, and Slit/Robo. These guidance cue/receptor pairs attract and repulse axons and ensure that they reach the proper target to make functional connections. In several cases, these signals cooperate with each other and/or additional molecular partners. Effects of alcohol on guidance cue mechanisms and their associated effectors include inhibition of growth cone response to repellant cues as well as changes in gene expression. Relevant to the corpus callosum, specifically, developmental alcohol exposure alters GABAergic and glutamatergic cell populations and glial cells that serve as guidepost cells for callosal axons. In many cases, deficits seen in FASD mirror aberrancies in guidance cue/receptor signaling. We present evidence for the need for further study on how prenatal alcohol exposure affects the formation of neural connections which may underlie disrupted functional connectivity in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Mathews
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA 19426-1000, USA
| | - Kevyn Dewees
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA 19426-1000, USA
| | - Deborah Diaz
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA 19426-1000, USA
| | - Carlita Favero
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA 19426-1000, USA
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Bolaños-Burgos IC, Bernal-Correa AM, Mahecha GAB, Ribeiro ÂM, Kushmerick C. Thiamine Deficiency Increases Intrinsic Excitability of Mouse Cerebellar Purkinje Cells. THE CEREBELLUM 2020; 20:186-202. [PMID: 33098550 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-020-01202-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Thiamine deficiency is associated with cerebellar dysfunction; however, the consequences of thiamine deficiency on the electrophysiological properties of cerebellar Purkinje cells are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated these parameters in brain slices containing cerebellar vermis. Adult mice were maintained for 12-13 days on a thiamine-free diet coupled with daily injections of pyrithiamine, an inhibitor of thiamine phosphorylation. Morphological analysis revealed a 20% reduction in Purkinje cell and nuclear volume in thiamine-deficient animals compared to feeding-matched controls, with no reduction in cell count. Under whole-cell current clamp, thiamine-deficient Purkinje cells required significantly less current injection to fire an action potential. This reduction in rheobase was not due to a change in voltage threshold. Rather, thiamine-deficient neurons presented significantly higher input resistance specifically in the voltage range just below threshold, which increases their sensitivity to current at these critical membrane potentials. In addition, thiamine deficiency caused a significant decrease in the amplitude of the action potential afterhyperpolarization, broadened the action potential, and decreased the current threshold for depolarization block. When thiamine-deficient animals were allowed to recover for 1 week on a normal diet, rheobase, threshold, action potential half-width, and depolarization block threshold were no longer different from controls. We conclude that thiamine deficiency causes significant but reversible changes to the electrophysiology properties of Purkinje cells prior to pathological morphological alterations or cell loss. Thus, the data obtained in the present study indicate that increased excitability of Purkinje cells may represent a leading indicator of cerebellar dysfunction caused by lack of thiamine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana María Bernal-Correa
- Graduate Program in Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Ângela Maria Ribeiro
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Christopher Kushmerick
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. .,Graduate Program in Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. .,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
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Nirgudkar P, Taylor DH, Yanagawa Y, Valenzuela CF. Ethanol exposure during development reduces GABAergic/glycinergic neuron numbers and lobule volumes in the mouse cerebellar vermis. Neurosci Lett 2016; 632:86-91. [PMID: 27565053 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cerebellar alterations are a hallmark of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and are thought to be responsible for deficits in fine motor control, motor learning, balance, and higher cognitive functions. These deficits are, in part, a consequence of dysfunction of cerebellar circuits. Although the effect of developmental ethanol exposure on Purkinje and granule cells has been previously characterized, its actions on other cerebellar neuronal populations are not fully understood. Here, we assessed the impact of repeated ethanol exposure on the number of inhibitory neurons in the cerebellar vermis. We exposed pregnant mice to ethanol in vapor inhalation chambers during gestational days 12-19 and offspring during postnatal days 2-9. We used transgenic mice expressing the fluorescent protein, Venus, in GABAergic/glycinergic neurons. Using unbiased stereology techniques, we detected a reduction in Venus positive neurons in the molecular and granule cell layers of lobule II in the ethanol exposed group at postnatal day 16. In contrast, ethanol produced a more widespread reduction in Purkinje cell numbers that involved lobules II, IV-V and IX. We also found a reduction in the volume of lobules II, IV-V, VI-VII, IX and X in ethanol-exposed pups. These findings indicate that second and third trimester-equivalent ethanol exposure has a greater impact on Purkinje cells than interneurons in the developing cerebellar vermis. The decrease in the volume of most lobules could be a consequence of a reduction in cell numbers, dendritic arborizations, or axonal projections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranita Nirgudkar
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, U.S.A
| | - Devin H Taylor
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, U.S.A
| | - Yuchio Yanagawa
- Department of Genetic and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi 371-8511, Japan
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, U.S.A..
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Abstract
Alcohol abuse causes cerebellar dysfunction and cerebellar ataxia is a common feature in alcoholics. Alcohol exposure during development also impacts the cerebellum. Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) show many symptoms associated specifically with cerebellar deficits. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms are unclear. This special issue discusses the most recent advances in the study of mechanisms underlying alcoholinduced cerebellar deficits. The alteration in GABAA receptor-dependent neurotransmission is a potential mechanism for ethanol-induced cerebellar dysfunction. Recent advances indicate ethanol-induced increases in GABA release are not only in Purkinje cells (PCs), but also in molecular layer interneurons and granule cells. Ethanol is shown to disrupt the molecular events at the mossy fiber - granule cell - Golgi cell (MGG) synaptic site and granule cell parallel fibers - PCs (GPP) synaptic site, which may be responsible for ethanol-induced cerebellar ataxia. Aging and ethanol may affect the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) of PC dendrites and cause dendritic regression. Ethanol withdrawal causes mitochondrial damage and aberrant gene modifications in the cerebellum. The interaction between these events may result in neuronal degeneration, thereby contributing to motoric deficit. Ethanol activates doublestranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated protein kinase (PKR) and PKR activation is involved ethanolinduced neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity in the developing cerebellum. Ethanol alters the development of cerebellar circuitry following the loss of PCs, which could result in modifications of the structure and function of other brain regions that receive cerebellar inputs. Lastly, choline, an essential nutrient is evaluated for its potential protection against ethanol-induced cerebellar damages. Choline is shown to ameliorate ethanol-induced cerebellar dysfunction when given before ethanol exposure.
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Cheng DT, Jacobson SW, Jacobson JL, Molteno CD, Stanton ME, Desmond JE. Eyeblink Classical Conditioning in Alcoholism and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:155. [PMID: 26578987 PMCID: PMC4629452 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcoholism is a debilitating disorder that can take a significant toll on health and professional and personal relationships. Excessive alcohol consumption can have a serious impact on both drinkers and developing fetuses, leading to long-term learning impairments. Decades of research in laboratory animals and humans have demonstrated the value of eyeblink classical conditioning (EBC) as a well-characterized model system to study the neural mechanisms underlying associative learning. Behavioral EBC studies in adults with alcohol use disorders and in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders report a clear learning deficit in these two patient populations, suggesting alcohol-related damage to the cerebellum and associated structures. Insight into the neural mechanisms underlying these learning impairments has largely stemmed from laboratory animal studies. In this mini-review, we present and discuss exemplary animal findings and data from patient and neuroimaging studies. An improved understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying learning deficits in EBC related to alcoholism and prenatal alcohol exposure has the potential to advance the diagnoses, treatment, and prevention of these and other pediatric and adult disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic T Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD , USA
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine , Detroit, MI , USA ; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa ; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine , Detroit, MI , USA ; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa ; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Mark E Stanton
- Department of Psychology, University of Delaware , Newark, DE , USA
| | - John E Desmond
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD , USA
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