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Ghasemahmad Z, Mrvelj A, Panditi R, Sharma B, Perumal KD, Wenstrup JJ. Emotional vocalizations alter behaviors and neurochemical release into the amygdala. eLife 2024; 12:RP88838. [PMID: 39008352 PMCID: PMC11249735 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain center of emotional expression, contributes to acoustic communication by first interpreting the meaning of social sounds in the context of the listener's internal state, then organizing the appropriate behavioral responses. We propose that modulatory neurochemicals such as acetylcholine (ACh) and dopamine (DA) provide internal-state signals to the BLA while an animal listens to social vocalizations. We tested this in a vocal playback experiment utilizing highly affective vocal sequences associated with either mating or restraint, then sampled and analyzed fluids within the BLA for a broad range of neurochemicals and observed behavioral responses of adult male and female mice. In male mice, playback of restraint vocalizations increased ACh release and usually decreased DA release, while playback of mating sequences evoked the opposite neurochemical release patterns. In non-estrus female mice, patterns of ACh and DA release with mating playback were similar to males. Estrus females, however, showed increased ACh, associated with vigilance, as well as increased DA, associated with reward-seeking. Experimental groups that showed increased ACh release also showed the largest increases in an aversive behavior. These neurochemical release patterns and several behavioral responses depended on a single prior experience with the mating and restraint behaviors. Our results support a model in which ACh and DA provide contextual information to sound analyzing BLA neurons that modulate their output to downstream brain regions controlling behavioral responses to social vocalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Ghasemahmad
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State UniversityKentUnited States
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State UniversityKentUnited States
| | - Aaron Mrvelj
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
| | - Rishitha Panditi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
| | - Bhavya Sharma
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
| | - Karthic Drishna Perumal
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
| | - Jeffrey J Wenstrup
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State UniversityKentUnited States
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State UniversityKentUnited States
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2
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Zheng B, Zheng Y, Hu W, Chen Z. Dissecting the networks underlying diverse brain disorders after prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:1975-1990. [PMID: 38581585 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03733-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
New human life begins in the uterus in a period of both extreme plasticity and sensitivity to environmental disturbances. The fetal stage is also a vital period for central nervous system development, with experiences at this point profoundly and permanently shaping brain structure and function. As such, some brain disorders may originate in utero. Glucocorticoids, a class of essential stress hormones, play indispensable roles in fetal development, but overexposure may have lasting impacts on the brain. In this review, we summarize data from recent clinical and non-clinical studies regarding alterations in fetal brains due to prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure that are associated with nervous system disorders. We discuss relevant changes to brain structure and cellular functions and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. In addition, we summarize factors that may cause differential outcomes between varying brain regions, and outline clinically feasible intervention strategies that are expected to minimize negative consequences arising from fetal glucocorticoid overexposure. Finally, we highlight the need for experimental evidence aided by new technologies to clearly determine the effects of excessive prenatal glucocorticoid exposure. This review consolidates diverse findings to help researchers better understand the relationship between the prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure and the effects it has on various fetal brain regions, promoting further development of critical intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baixiu Zheng
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yanrong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Weiwei Hu
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Zhong Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
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3
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Ojha A, Jones NP, Henry T, Versace A, Gnagy EM, Joseph HM, Molina BSG, Ladouceur CD. Altered Lateral Prefrontal Cortex Functioning During Emotional Interference Resistance Is Associated With Affect Lability in Adults With Persisting Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder From Childhood. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:588-596. [PMID: 38378127 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention and/or impulsivity/hyperactivity. ADHD, especially when persisting into adulthood, often includes emotional dysregulation, such as affect lability; however, the neural correlates of emotionality in adults with heterogeneous ADHD symptom persistence remain unclear. METHODS The present study sought to determine shared and distinct functional neuroanatomical profiles of neural circuitry during emotional interference resistance using the emotional face n-back task in adult participants with persisting (n = 47), desisting (n = 93), or no (n = 42) childhood ADHD symptoms while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Participants without any lifetime ADHD diagnosis performed significantly better (faster and more accurately) than participants with ADHD diagnoses on trials with high cognitive loads (2-back) that included task-irrelevant emotional distractors, tapping into executive functioning and emotion regulatory processes. In participants with persisting ADHD symptoms, more severe emotional symptoms were related to worse task performance. Heightened dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex activation was associated with more accurate and faster performance on 2-back emotional faces trials, respectively. Reduced activation was associated with greater affect lability in adults with persisting ADHD, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation mediated the relationship between affect lability and task accuracy. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that alterations in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex function associated with greater interference in cognitive processes from emotion could represent a marker of risk for problems with emotional dysregulation in individuals with persisting ADHD and thus represent a potential therapeutic target for those with greater emotional symptoms of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Ojha
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Neil P Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Teague Henry
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia; School of Data Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Amelia Versace
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Elizabeth M Gnagy
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
| | - Heather M Joseph
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Brooke S G Molina
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Cecile D Ladouceur
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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4
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Kim R, Ananth MR, Desai NS, Role LW, Talmage DA. Distinct subpopulations of ventral pallidal cholinergic projection neurons encode valence of olfactory stimuli. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114009. [PMID: 38536818 PMCID: PMC11080946 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
To better understand the function of cholinergic projection neurons in the ventral pallidum (VP), we examined behavioral responses to appetitive (APP) and aversive (AV) odors that elicited approach or avoidance, respectively. Exposure to each odor increased cFos expression and calcium signaling in VP cholinergic neurons. Activity and Cre-dependent viral vectors selectively labeled VP cholinergic neurons that were activated and reactivated in response to either APP or AV odors, but not both, identifying two non-overlapping populations of VP cholinergic neurons differentially activated by the valence of olfactory stimuli. These two subpopulations showed differences in electrophysiological properties, morphology, and projections to the basolateral amygdala. Although VP neurons are engaged in both approach and avoidance behavioral responses, cholinergic signaling is only required for approach behavior. Thus, two distinct subpopulations of VP cholinergic neurons differentially encode valence of olfactory stimuli and play distinct roles in approach and avoidance behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Kim
- Genetics of Neuronal Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mala R Ananth
- Circuits, Synapses and Molecular Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Niraj S Desai
- Circuits, Synapses and Molecular Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lorna W Role
- Circuits, Synapses and Molecular Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - David A Talmage
- Genetics of Neuronal Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Yao S, Harder A, Darki F, Chang YW, Li A, Nikouei K, Volpe G, Lundström JN, Zeng J, Wray N, Lu Y, Sullivan PF, Leffler JH. Connecting genomic results for psychiatric disorders to human brain cell types and regions reveals convergence with functional connectivity. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.01.18.24301478. [PMID: 38410450 PMCID: PMC10896415 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.18.24301478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the temporal and spatial brain locations etiological for psychiatric disorders is essential for targeted neurobiological research. Integration of genomic insights from genome-wide association studies with single-cell transcriptomics is a powerful approach although past efforts have necessarily relied on mouse atlases. Leveraging a comprehensive atlas of the adult human brain, we prioritized cell types via the enrichment of SNP-heritabilities for brain diseases, disorders, and traits, progressing from individual cell types to brain regions. Our findings highlight specific neuronal clusters significantly enriched for the SNP-heritabilities for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder along with intelligence, education, and neuroticism. Extrapolation of cell-type results to brain regions reveals important patterns for schizophrenia with distinct subregions in the hippocampus and amygdala exhibiting the highest significance. Cerebral cortical regions display similar enrichments despite the known prefrontal dysfunction in those with schizophrenia highlighting the importance of subcortical connectivity. Using functional MRI connectivity from cases with schizophrenia and neurotypical controls, we identified brain networks that distinguished cases from controls that also confirmed involvement of the central and lateral amygdala, hippocampal body, and prefrontal cortex. Our findings underscore the value of single-cell transcriptomics in decoding the polygenicity of psychiatric disorders and offer a promising convergence of genomic, transcriptomic, and brain imaging modalities toward common biological targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyang Yao
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arvid Harder
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fahimeh Darki
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yu-Wei Chang
- Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ang Li
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kasra Nikouei
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Giovanni Volpe
- Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Johan N Lundström
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jian Zeng
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Naomi Wray
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patrick F Sullivan
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Departments of Genetics and Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jens Hjerling Leffler
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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6
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Shih CC, Chang CH. Activation of the basolateral or the central amygdala dampened the incentive motivation for food reward on high fixed-ratio schedules. Behav Brain Res 2023; 455:114682. [PMID: 37742807 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114682] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The amygdala plays crucial roles in emotional processing, motivated behaviors, and stress responses. It receives sensory information and modulates fear- and anxiety-related behaviors. Neuronal activations are induced in the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA) and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) when exposing to acute stress, leading to increased alertness and proper behavioral adaptation. Previous studies have shown that animals displayed a decrease in appetitive motivated behaviors under stress conditions. However, whether the hyperactive amygdala is responsible for the decrease in appetitive motivated behaviors remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to examine the role of BLA or CeA activation in effort-based motivated behavior. We pharmacologically activated the BLA or the CeA with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) before the lever-pressing for food reward test on different fixed-ratio (FR) schedules (FR1, FR16, or FR32) in male Long-Evans rats. Our data showed that activation of either the BLA or the CeA with NMDA (0.05 μg in 0.5 μl per site) decreased the lever-pressing behavior on higher FR schedules of FR16 and FR32, but not on the FR1 test. Importantly, locomotor activity and free-feeding food intake were intact under amygdala activation, suggesting that the decrease in lever-pressing behavior was not due to motor disablement or decreased appetite. These results suggested that activation of the BLA or the CeA negatively impaired the effort-based motivated behavior that the animals were less willing to work for food reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Chia Shih
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hui Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
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7
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Kim R, Ananth M, Desai NS, Role LW, Talmage DA. Distinct subpopulations of ventral pallidal cholinergic projection neurons encode valence of olfactory stimuli. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.06.561261. [PMID: 37986753 PMCID: PMC10659428 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.06.561261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The ventral pallidum (VP) mediates motivated behaviors largely via the action of VP GABA and glutamatergic neurons. In addition to these neuronal subtypes, there is a population of cholinergic projection neurons in the VP, whose functional significance remains unclear. To understand the functional role of VP cholinergic neurons, we first examined behavioral responses to an appetitive (APP) odor that elicited approach, and an aversive (AV) odor that led to avoidance. To examine how VP cholinergic neurons were engaged in APP vs. AV responses, we used an immediate early gene marker and in-vivo fiber photometry, examining the activation profile of VP cholinergic neurons in response to each odor. Exposure to each odor led to an increase in the number of cFos counts and increased calcium signaling of VP cholinergic neurons. Activity and cre-dependent viral vectors were designed to label engaged VP cholinergic neurons in two distinct contexts: (1) exposure to the APP odor, (2) followed by subsequent exposure to the AV odor, and vice versa. These studies revealed two distinct, non-overlapping subpopulations of VP cholinergic neurons: one activated in response to the APP odor, and a second distinct population activated in response to the AV odor. These two subpopulations of VP cholinergic neurons are spatially intermingled within the VP, but show differences in electrophysiological properties, neuronal morphology, and projections to the basolateral amygdala. Although VP cholinergic neurons are engaged in behavioral responses to each odor, VP cholinergic signaling is only required for approach behavior. Indeed, inhibition of VP cholinergic neurons not only blocks approach to the APP odor, but reverses the behavior, leading to active avoidance. Our results highlight the functional heterogeneity of cholinergic projection neurons within the VP. These two subpopulations of VP cholinergic neurons differentially encode valence of olfactory stimuli and play unique roles in approach and avoidance behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Kim
- Genetics of Neuronal Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Mala Ananth
- Circuits, Synapses and Molecular Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Niraj S. Desai
- Circuits, Synapses and Molecular Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Lorna W. Role
- Circuits, Synapses and Molecular Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - David A. Talmage
- Genetics of Neuronal Signaling Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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8
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Stone BT, Antonoudiou P, Teboul E, Scarpa G, Weiss G, Maguire JL. Early life stress impairs VTA coordination of BLA network and behavioral states. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.16.558081. [PMID: 37745617 PMCID: PMC10516015 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.16.558081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Motivated behaviors, such as social interactions, are governed by the interplay between mesocorticolimbic structures, such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Adverse childhood experiences and early life stress (ELS) can impact these networks and behaviors, which is associated with increased risk for psychiatric illnesses. While it is known that the VTA projects to both the BLA and mPFC, the influence of these inputs on local network activity which govern behavioral states - and whether ELS impacts VTA-mediated network communication - remains unknown. Our study demonstrates that VTA inputs influence BLA oscillations and mPFC activity, and that ELS weakens the ability of the VTA to coordinate BLA network states, likely due to ELS-induced impairments in dopamine signaling between the VTA and BLA. Consequently, ELS mice exhibit increased social avoidance, which can be recapitulated in control mice by inhibiting VTA-BLA communication. These data suggest that ELS impacts social reward via the VTA-BLA dopamine network.
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Torres G, Mourad M, Iqbal S, Moses-Fynn E, Pandita A, Siddhartha SS, Sood RA, Srinivasan K, Subbaiah RT, Tiwari A, Leheste JR. Conceptualizing Epigenetics and the Environmental Landscape of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1734. [PMID: 37761876 PMCID: PMC10531442 DOI: 10.3390/genes14091734] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Complex interactions between gene variants and environmental risk factors underlie the pathophysiological pathways in major psychiatric disorders. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neuropsychiatric condition in which susceptible alleles along with epigenetic states contribute to the mutational landscape of the ailing brain. The present work reviews recent evolutionary, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms potentially linked to the etiology of autism. First, we present a clinical vignette to describe clusters of maladaptive behaviors frequently diagnosed in autistic patients. Next, we microdissect brain regions pertinent to the nosology of autism, as well as cell networks from the bilateral body plan. Lastly, we catalog a number of pathogenic environments associated with disease risk factors. This set of perspectives provides emerging insights into the dynamic interplay between epigenetic and environmental variation in the development of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- German Torres
- Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Medaille College, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
| | - Mervat Mourad
- Department of Clinical Specialties, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA;
| | - Saba Iqbal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (S.I.); (E.M.-F.); (A.P.); (R.A.S.); (K.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Emmanuel Moses-Fynn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (S.I.); (E.M.-F.); (A.P.); (R.A.S.); (K.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Ashani Pandita
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (S.I.); (E.M.-F.); (A.P.); (R.A.S.); (K.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Shriya S. Siddhartha
- Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275, USA;
| | - Riya A. Sood
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (S.I.); (E.M.-F.); (A.P.); (R.A.S.); (K.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Kavya Srinivasan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (S.I.); (E.M.-F.); (A.P.); (R.A.S.); (K.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Riya T. Subbaiah
- Department of Arts and Sciences, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA;
| | - Alisha Tiwari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (S.I.); (E.M.-F.); (A.P.); (R.A.S.); (K.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Joerg R. Leheste
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (S.I.); (E.M.-F.); (A.P.); (R.A.S.); (K.S.); (A.T.)
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10
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Banihashemi L, Schmithorst VJ, Bertocci MA, Samolyk A, Zhang Y, Lima Santos JP, Versace A, Taylor M, English G, Northrup JB, Lee VK, Stiffler R, Aslam H, Panigrahy A, Hipwell AE, Phillips ML. Neural Network Functional Interactions Mediate or Suppress White Matter-Emotional Behavior Relationships in Infants. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 94:57-67. [PMID: 36918062 PMCID: PMC10365319 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elucidating the neural basis of infant positive emotionality and negative emotionality can identify biomarkers of pathophysiological risk. Our goal was to determine how functional interactions among large-scale networks supporting emotional regulation influence white matter (WM) microstructural-emotional behavior relationships in 3-month-old infants. We hypothesized that microstructural-emotional behavior relationships would be differentially mediated or suppressed by underlying resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC), particularly between default mode network and central executive network structures. METHODS The analytic sample comprised primary caregiver-infant dyads (52 infants [42% female, mean age at scan = 15.10 weeks]), with infant neuroimaging and emotional behavior assessments conducted at 3 months. Infant WM and rsFC were assessed by diffusion-weighted imaging/tractography and resting-state magnetic resonance imaging during natural, nonsedated sleep. The Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised provided measures of infant positive emotionality and negative emotionality. RESULTS After significant WM-emotional behavior relationships were observed, multimodal analyses were performed using whole-brain voxelwise mediation. Results revealed that greater cingulum bundle volume was significantly associated with lower infant positive emotionality (β = -0.263, p = .031); however, a pattern of lower rsFC between central executive network and default mode network structures suppressed this otherwise negative relationship. Greater uncinate fasciculus volume was significantly associated with lower infant negative emotionality (β = -0.296, p = .022); however, lower orbitofrontal cortex-amygdala rsFC suppressed this otherwise negative relationship, while greater orbitofrontal cortex-central executive network rsFC mediated this relationship. CONCLUSIONS Functional interactions among neural networks have an important influence on WM microstructural-emotional behavior relationships in infancy. These relationships can elucidate neural mechanisms that contribute to future behavioral and emotional problems in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Banihashemi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
| | - Vanessa J Schmithorst
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Michele A Bertocci
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Alyssa Samolyk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yicheng Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - João Paulo Lima Santos
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Amelia Versace
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Megan Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Gabrielle English
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jessie B Northrup
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Vincent K Lee
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Richelle Stiffler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Haris Aslam
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Ashok Panigrahy
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Alison E Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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11
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Setlow B, Bizon JL. Introduction to special issue on amygdala and value-based decision making. Behav Brain Res 2023; 437:114147. [PMID: 36209945 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Barry Setlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States; Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States; Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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12
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He X, Ji P, Guo R, Ming X, Zhang H, Yu L, Chen Z, Gao S, Guo F. Regulation of the central amygdala on intestinal motility and behavior via the lateral hypothalamus in irritable bowel syndrome model mice. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2023; 35:e14498. [PMID: 36408759 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system (CNS) is closely related to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Studies in patients with IBS have also shown significant activation of the hypothalamus and amygdala. However, how neural circuits of the CNS participate in and process the emotional and intestinal disorders of IBS remains unclear. METHODS The GABAergic neural pathway projecting from the central amygdala (CeA) to the lateral hypothalamus (LHA) in mice was investigated by retrograde tracking combined with fluorescence immunohistochemistry. Anxiety, depression-like behavior, and intestinal motility were observed in the water-immersion restraint stress group and the control group. Furthermore, the effects of the chemogenetic activation of the GABAergic neural pathway of CeA-LHA on behavior and intestinal motility, as well as the co-expression of orexin-A and c-Fos in the LHA, were explored. KEY RESULTS In our study, Fluoro-Gold retrograde tracking combined with fluorescence immunohistochemistry showed that GABAergic neurons in the CeA were projected to the LHA. The microinjection of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor antagonist into the LHA relieved anxiety, depression-like behavior, and intestinal motility disorder in the IBS mice. The chemogenetic activation of GABAergic neurons in the CeA-LHA pathway led to anxiety, depression-like behavior, and intestinal motility disorder. In addition, GABAergic neurons in the CeA-LHA pathway inhibited the expression of orexin-A in the LHA, and orexin-A was co-expressed with GABAA receptors. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES The CeA-LHA GABAergic pathway might participate in the occurrence and development of IBS by regulating orexin-A neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoman He
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Pengfei Ji
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ruixiao Guo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xing Ming
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongfei Zhang
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Lizheng Yu
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ziyi Chen
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shengli Gao
- Biomedical Center, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Feifei Guo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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13
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Djerdjaj A, Ng AJ, Rieger NS, Christianson JP. The basolateral amygdala to posterior insular cortex tract is necessary for social interaction with stressed juvenile rats. Behav Brain Res 2022; 435:114050. [PMID: 35973470 PMCID: PMC10440830 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Vocalizations, chemosignals, and behaviors are influenced by one's internal affective state and are used by others to shape social behaviors. A network of interconnected brain structures, often called the social behavior network or social decision-making network, integrates these stimuli and coordinates social behaviors, and in-network connectivity deficits underlie several psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Here, we investigated the role of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and its projections to the posterior insular cortex, regions independently implicated in a range of sociocognitive processes, in a social affective preference (SAP) test. Viral vectors containing the gene coding for inhibitory chemogenetic receptors (AAV5-hSyn-hM4Di-mCherry) were injected into the BLA. SAP tests, which allow for the observation of unconditioned behavioral responses to the affective states of others, were conducted after inhibition of the BLA by systemic administration of the hM4Di agonist clozapine-n-oxide (CNO), or inhibition of BLA-insula terminals by direct infusion of CNO to the insula. After vehicle infusions, rats displayed preference for interactions with stressed juvenile conspecifics. However, CNO treatment eliminated preference behavior. The current results suggest that social decision making involves the transfer of emotional information from the BLA to the insula which represents a previously unrecognized anatomical substrate for social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Djerdjaj
- Boston College, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.
| | - Alexandra J Ng
- Boston College, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Nathaniel S Rieger
- Boston College, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - John P Christianson
- Boston College, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
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14
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Park AT, Richardson H, Tooley UA, McDermott CL, Boroshok AL, Ke A, Leonard JA, Tisdall MD, Deater-Deckard K, Edgar JC, Mackey AP. Early stressful experiences are associated with reduced neural responses to naturalistic emotional and social content in children. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 57:101152. [PMID: 36137356 PMCID: PMC9493069 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
How do children's experiences relate to their naturalistic emotional and social processing? Because children can struggle with tasks in the scanner, we collected fMRI data while 4-to-11-year-olds watched a short film with positive and negative emotional events, and rich parent-child interactions (n = 70). We captured broad, normative stressful experiences by examining socioeconomic status (SES) and stressful life events, as well as children's more proximal experiences with their parents. For a sub-sample (n = 30), parenting behaviors were measured during a parent-child interaction, consisting of a picture book, a challenging puzzle, and free play with novel toys. We characterized positive parenting behaviors (e.g., warmth, praise) and negative parenting behaviors (e.g., harsh tone, physical control). We found that higher SES was related to greater activity in medial orbitofrontal cortex during parent-child interaction movie events. Negative parenting behaviors were associated with less activation of the ventral tegmental area and cerebellum during positive emotional events. In a region-of-interest analysis, we found that stressful life events and negative parenting behaviors were associated with less activation of the amygdala during positive emotional events. These exploratory results demonstrate the promise of using movie fMRI to study how early experiences may shape emotional, social, and motivational processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne T Park
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Hilary Richardson
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ursula A Tooley
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Cassidy L McDermott
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Austin L Boroshok
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Adrian Ke
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Julia A Leonard
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, United States; Department of Psychology, Yale University, United States
| | - M Dylan Tisdall
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Kirby Deater-Deckard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, United States
| | | | - Allyson P Mackey
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, United States.
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15
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Wassum KM. Amygdala-cortical collaboration in reward learning and decision making. eLife 2022; 11:80926. [PMID: 36062909 PMCID: PMC9444241 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive reward-related decision making requires accurate prospective consideration of the specific outcome of each option and its current desirability. These mental simulations are informed by stored memories of the associative relationships that exist within an environment. In this review, I discuss recent investigations of the function of circuitry between the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and lateral (lOFC) and medial (mOFC) orbitofrontal cortex in the learning and use of associative reward memories. I draw conclusions from data collected using sophisticated behavioral approaches to diagnose the content of appetitive memory in combination with modern circuit dissection tools. I propose that, via their direct bidirectional connections, the BLA and OFC collaborate to help us encode detailed, outcome-specific, state-dependent reward memories and to use those memories to enable the predictions and inferences that support adaptive decision making. Whereas lOFC→BLA projections mediate the encoding of outcome-specific reward memories, mOFC→BLA projections regulate the ability to use these memories to inform reward pursuit decisions. BLA projections to lOFC and mOFC both contribute to using reward memories to guide decision making. The BLA→lOFC pathway mediates the ability to represent the identity of a specific predicted reward and the BLA→mOFC pathway facilitates understanding of the value of predicted events. Thus, I outline a neuronal circuit architecture for reward learning and decision making and provide new testable hypotheses as well as implications for both adaptive and maladaptive decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M Wassum
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.,Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.,Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.,Integrative Center for Addictive Disorders, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
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16
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Non-human contributions to personality neuroscience – from fish through primates. An introduction to the special issue. PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 5:e11. [PMID: 36258777 PMCID: PMC9549393 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2022.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The most fundamental emotional systems that show trait control are evolutionarily old and extensively conserved. Psychology in general has benefited from non-human neuroscience and from the analytical simplicity of behaviour in those with simpler nervous systems. It has been argued that integration between personality, psychopathology, and neuroscience is particularly promising if we are to understand the neurobiology of human experience. Here, we provide some general arguments for a non-human approach being at least as productive in relation to personality, psychopathology, and their interface. Some early personality theories were directly linked to psychopathology (e.g., Eysenck, Panksepp, and Cloninger). They shared a common interest in brain systems that naturally led to the use of non-human data; behavioural, neural, and pharmacological. In Eysenck’s case, this also led to the selective breeding, at the Maudsley Institute, of emotionally reactive and non-reactive strains of rat as models of trait neuroticism or trait emotionality. Dimensional personality research and categorical approaches to clinical disorder then drifted apart from each other, from neuropsychology, and from non-human data. Recently, the conceptualizations of both healthy personality and psychopathology have moved towards a common hierarchical trait perspective. Indeed, the proposed two sets of trait dimensions appear similar and may even be eventually the same. We provide, here, an introduction to this special issue of Personality Neuroscience, where the authors provide overviews of detailed areas where non-human data inform human personality and its psychopathology or provide explicit models for translation to human neuroscience. Once all the papers in the issue have appeared, we will also provide a concluding summary of them.
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